Godric
by Annaelle
Summary: He had been watching her for several weeks now. He was not sure why he had simply begun following her when he first caught her scent. There was something about her. She intrigued him. He could not tear himself away from her. He did not want to. PAIRINGS: Godric/OC, Eric/OC, Eric/Sookie
1. Heart Attack

**A/N 25/6/2014:**

**Hey there :D I've been rewriting this one, will be slowly replacing the old chapters with the new ones :) **

**Here's the first one. **

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**Godric**

**Chapter One – Heart Attack**

**Puttin' my defenses up****  
>'Cause I don't wanna fall in love<br>If I ever did that  
>I think I'd have a heart attack<strong>

**It's just not fair  
>Pain's more trouble than love is worth<br>I gasp for air****  
>It feels so good, but you know it hurts<strong>

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**_Santorini, Greece—998 AD  
>Godric<em>**

"Who goes there?"

The woman he had been watching slowly spun around, handling the long spear in her hand as though it were a part of her own body. He admired the way she studied the woods before her carefully, her eye ever watchful for intruders to their peaceful, small village.  
>He was not sure why the village was surrounded by thick wooden walls, guarded every night by several of the villagers, but it only added to the mystery that was the beautiful woman before him.<p>

He had been watching her for several weeks now. He was not sure why he had simply begun following her when he first caught her scent.

There was something about her.

She intrigued him.

After watching for some time, he had begun contemplating turning her. Of course, he was aware that one young vampire was a lot to deal with already—but she was … She was _different_ from all human women he had ever met.

There was a gleam in her eyes that spoke of wisdom beyond her years. Eric had tracked her with Godric at first, but being young and temperamental, he did not have the patience, nor the same fascination towards the girl as Godric seemed to.

He had, however, pointed out that—next to being vigilant and fast—she was quite beautiful. Godric had spent many nights pondering over that particular statement.  
>He tended not to look at human faces anymore—he had not in many, many years. It had taken him some time to admit that there was, indeed, no woman that had appealed to him in the slightest for anything but their blood, until he stumbled across this woman.<p>

He had travelled the world many times, and yet, he had never before laid eyes upon one so fair and so lethal.

She was young—no older than eight-and-ten of age—her skin tanned, her dark hair braided and tied with soft leather cords. She was dressed in Hunters attire—which was something he was not accustomed to seeing on a woman.

The leather trousers showed off her shapely legs in ways not many women would find proper, and her feet were tucked in soft, brown boots—Godric had merely smiled when he first laid eyes upon those boots.

They were only worn by those who knew the value of good, solid shoes—one was used to long distances on foot was to be expected to wear these.

But her eyes—her eyes were what drew him in. They were deep, swirling cerulean blue—something that contrasted heavily with her dark hair and skin tone. And then there was her scent—that irresistible mix of fresh fruit, cinnamon and pine—a scent that nearly made him salivate whenever he caught a whiff of it.

He had honestly planned to simply feed on her before he was drawn in by her mysterious, lethal persona.

He knew she had heard him—he carefully considered his course of action as she ventured away from the walls, moving into the woods, not far from where he had hidden himself. She ventured deeper into the woods, and he followed her once again, finding himself mesmerized by the agility and grace with which she moved.

As he followed her, he briefly contemplated showing himself, but dismissed the notion quickly.

Though she appeared brave and fearless—humans did not cope well with immortals such as vampires—he knew that from personal experience.

He had always thought no more of humans than animals. But when he saw the slight rising and falling of her chest and the softness of her skin, he came to appreciate mortality and humanity as he never had before.

She treaded lightly, her feet barely audible as she slid over the forest floor. He found himself enthralled by her fluid gestures and moves—thus becoming careless, and far less observant than he would have been otherwise.

A heavy hand landed upon his shoulder and he froze momentarily, before he sensed his progeny's presence. "She makes you careless," Eric hissed, his eyes darkening, "We must move on. There is nothing left for us here."

Godric rolled his eyes in annoyance and shook off Eric's hand. He wished not to be reprimanded by one he had created—Eric should know not to question his thoughts and actions.

"My intention is only to feed—her blood smells delectable."

Eric growled under his breath as he perused the woods surrounding them. "We are not the only vampires in the area, Godric," he concluded, "it would be most unwise for us to linger in these woods. If you wish to claim her, you must do so now."

Godric carefully considered the truth in Eric's words—he knew of the others in the area; Greece was a loved country among many of the undead. The people believed in many Gods and legends—making them more susceptible for mind-altering and manipulation.

"We shall take our leave soon then. I suppose you would be pleased to see the North Sea again." He turned to look at the smile that was forming on Eric's lips, "I imagine it has been a while."

Godric felt his own lips curl into an involuntary smile at the joy that lit up Eric's face—the joy at the prospect of seeing home once again. Home was a rather evasive concept for a vampire—though there was nothing they desired more.

"Go now, my child," he smiled, "Find your own treat for tonight. This one is mine. I shall meet you back at the caves—we should go to ground early today." Eric nodded simply and turned on his heel, running off at vampire speed.

Moments later, a bloodcurdling scream broke upon his ear—unlocking a sense of fear in him he did not even know existed.

He flashed between the trees without further thought, breaking upon a clearing—a clearing where he was met with a sight that terrified and enraged him far more than anything he had ever seen before.

Another vampire—a man with dark, wavy brown hair and a slightly crazed look—had grabbed hold of the woman—_his_ woman—and sunk his fangs deep into her throat, tearing the skin far more and deeper than necessary.

It was a bite meant to hurt and maim—not only to feed.

For a split-second, his gaze locked with hers, and he cringed at the pure and undiluted fear that shone in those bright blue orbs—and he no longer felt any sort of conscious thought as he burst forward, ripping the other vampire from her frail body, throwing him back at least thirty feet.

He ignored the gasp of pain that fell from her lips as she fell to the ground, her legs no longer strong enough to support her weight, and redirected his attention to the other vampire, who had slowly gotten back to his feet, his face twisted into an angry sneer, blood smeared on his lips and chin.

"She is mine," Godric growled, "I claim her. She is not yours to touch."

The man cocked his head to the side for a moment, seemingly appraising his opponent—Godric was strong though; and he knew it too. There were not many vampires that would dare to challenge him—killing his Maker had gained him a lot of attention and the necessary respect in the vampire community—he was banking on that respect, that sense of fear, to keep the vampire at bay.

He could tell this was an old vampire, possibly older than he was, but the claim he had just issued was binding. Another was vampire was simply forbidden to touch another vampire's human once she or he had been claimed.

"Du wählt immer die Schönen, nicht wahr?" The vampire sneered, alarming Godric with his German speech. "Ich schwöre dich, ich werde sie von dich nehmen einen Tag."  
>Chills ran down his spine at the threat, but he shook it off quickly. "You will not have her," he spat in response, not once dropping his protective stance.<p>

The vampire laughed and shook his head. "I will," he smiled, "and there is nothing you can do about it. She will be mine. You cannot protect her forever."

Before Godric could rescind that statement, the vampire had blurred past him and kneeled by the girl, stroking her cheek while she cowered in fear. "Remember my face, dearie," he growled, "for one day, you shall be mine."

And then he was gone.

The situation did naught but baffle Godric—but a loud, shuddering sob distracted him from his thoughts.

He turned to find the girl—his obsession—crawled back as far as she could, her back pressed against a tree, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees and tears streaking down her cheeks. Her breath was coming out in short, fast pants and he felt a pang of sorrow at her obvious distress.

To all the Gods, he loathed seeing her in such pain. He would give anything to see her smile once again—that sweet, innocent, heartbreakingly beautiful smile that was permanently seared into his mind.

He contemplated his next course of action—he was not entirely sure how to handle humans with their human… emotions… and … stuff.

He shook his head once again and simply decided to attempt to talk to her—to show her not to fear him. "Look at me," he whispered gently, "Love, please. I will not hurt you." She shuddered, shook her head and continued sobbing, not even responding to his term of endearment.

He closed his eyes in desperation for a moment, attempting desperately to regroup his thoughts—he knew eye contact would be vital if he were to calm her down. Her heart was beating far too fast—her breaths were shallow and uneven, and he was certain it could not be healthy.

He slowly prepared himself to touch her—somehow, touching her seemed to cross an invisible, yet oh-so-important line—and cupped her cheeks, forcing her to look up at him. He ignored the chills that ran down his spine as he took in the sight of her big blue eyes filled with tears and a gleam of something he couldn't quite identify.

Her breathing was still hard and fast, and he could hear her heart thrumming through her chest. He could read the pure and undiluted fear in her eyes, and it sent waves of pain rocking through his body.

He didn't want her to be afraid.

He would give her everything she wanted, do whatever she wanted him to do just to make her smile again. To take away every bit of fear she held and to make her happy for the rest of her life.

She kept shaking her head, breathing "No, no, no, no, no… "

"My love," he whispered—not even consciously aware of the term of endearment he used—, pulling her closer to his body without fully realizing what he was doing, "breathe… Please, you must calm down."

Nothing he said seemed to make even the slightest difference, but he did notice how her muscles seemed to relax slightly when he pulled her closer. His mind ran a thousand miles a second as he considered what he knew about people with anxiety attacks.

Honestly, it wasn't much, and he feared he would have to act on complete instinct.

What had helped her so far? What had eased her fear?

The answer hit him suddenly, almost like an epiphany, and he felt as though he should thank the Gods for giving him insight on how to handle the situation.

Physical contact.

He needed to hold her. Keep talking to her. Breathe with her.

He wasn't particularly looking forward to hold her small body that close to his—he was almost certain that he was going to react strongly to her nearness. He shook his head and scolded himself. This wasn't about him; she needed him. It felt nice—as God awful as it sounded—to be needed by her.

With that thought in mind, he crawled to a tree, leaned his back against it, pulled her into his arms, so her back was pressed against his chest, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Her heart was thumping loudly in his ears, but he ignored the intimacy of their position and the sweet temptation that she personified, and pressed a soft kiss to her temple.  
>"I need you to focus on breathing, my dear," he explained in hushed whispers, "I shall breathe with you. Breathe with me, okay?"<p>

She nodded shakily.

He took a deep breath to steady his own nerves and whispered, "Okay… Breathe in…" She took a shaky breath at the same time as he did. "… And out," he breathed in her ear, breathing with her, kissing the tip of her ear.

Her breathing was still ragged and unsteady, and it scared the hell out of him. What if he couldn't calm her down? He was simply stunned at the realization that he was scared.

Terrified even.

He had never before felt fear such as this. She had to be okay. She just had to be. Other options would cause instant True Death on his part—he needed her to be okay.

"In…" he whispered, desperately trying to ignore the growing ball of panic in the pit of his stomach, "… And out." She was shaking, her breathing more like constant sobs, wheezing in her lungs.

He could feel her heart thrumming against his fingers, where his hand rested just below her sternum, and he was slightly alarmed by the speed of her heart. She needed to calm down now—or he was not going to be the only one ending up dead.

"You need to calm yourself," he whispered, drawing absent-minded circles on her stomach, where his hand rested, "you will be okay. There is nothing to be afraid of."

She shook her head, her tears dripping on his arm. "No, no, please don't. Do not hurt me, you will not stop," she choked, "Don't do it."

She struggled lightly in his grip as he attempted to deduce the meaning of her words—but when she cried out harshly, digging her nails into his arm, he snapped from his thoughts and hugged her softly, kissing her cheek lightly. "I will not, I swear. I shall not do anything to harm you. I would never harm one as beautiful as you."

She was still shaking and crying, but her breathing had slowed a tiny little bit, which was an immense achievement already. "But you said I was yours," she choked, "you will hurt me."  
>He choked back the bile that rose in his throat at the mere thought of hurting her and shook his head, tightening his embrace on her slightly.<p>

"I do not wish to hurt you," he muttered, rocking her gently, "I will not. I needed to protect you—I said what I needed to." He continued rocking her softly, whispering nonsense in her ear, keeping her focused on his voice as she calmed down slowly, her breathing and heartbeat slowing down to a healthier level.

He was slightly more comfortable now it seemed she was going to be okay, but continued to whisper to her, holding her lithe body pressed tightly to his as she continued crying softly. He focused his attention on his girl, who was calmer now, her sobs nearly stopping completely—but she was still shaking in fear.

"Feeling better?" He asked softly, when the tremors and sobs subsided slightly. She sniffed softly, but shook her head. "I cannot do this. You are a vampire. Vampires cannot be trusted. Why else would you save me?" He was stunned at her reasoning, his brain stopping short at her ridiculous statements.

He needed to tell her that his reasons for saving her did not include the possibility of drinking her delectable smelling blood. And so, he slowly turned her in his embrace, tilting her chin up to look in her eyes.

"You, love, are going to listen to me very carefully." She blinked up at him with her big blue eyes, biting her lower lip softly. When he was convinced he had her full attention, he carefully weighed his next words.

"I did not save you for your blood—I do not know why, but the thought of you being hurt…" He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I could not idly stand by. I needed you to be safe, even if I do not understand why."

He watched her eyes tear up and her lower lip quiver and cursed himself for making her cry again as he pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back soothingly. "Shh, love, it will be okay," he whispered, desperately wishing she'd stop crying.

She mumbled something incoherent into his shirt, and he found myself muttering, "What was that?" Before he considered that maybe, he didn't want to know what she was saying.

She looked up, her eyes red and swollen and tear tracks on her cheeks. And he swear to the Gods, she'd never looked more beautiful to him. "You keep calling me love," she whispered. He grinned and shook his head. "Somehow, I am not even surprised that was what you'd remember of all the things I said."

She managed a weak chuckle. "I don't know if I can do it," she whispered, her eyes locking on his briefly. He frowned at her. "Do what?"

She breathed in slowly. "Trust you will not harm me." He bit his lip and glanced to the forest floor, attempting to regain control over himself before he whispered, "Neither do I. But know this," he said softly, resting his hands on either side of her cheeks, "If I merely wanted to feed on you, I would have already."

"Really?"

Her breathy insecure whisper nearly broke his heart. Nonetheless, he nodded and stroked a lock of hair from her face.

"Really," he confirmed.

She gazed at the surrounding forest intently, almost as though she was willing the trees to provide her with an answer, while Godric was desperately attempting to regain control over his body. Having her this close, on his lap and in his arms wasn't really working wonders for his self-control.

Then again, he was fairly proud that he hadn't thrown her down to kiss her senseless yet. But if she kept wiggling like that, he just might. The smell of her blood suddenly wafted over him, and he struggled not to drop his fangs, as not to send her into another anxiety attack.

"Please," he spoke, keeping his voice level and void of emotion, "allow me to heal you. That wound… It could be lethal if not treated instantly."  
>She locked her eyes on his and seemed to search for something—something she apparently found—for she nodded slowly, watching wearily as he dropped his fangs and tore into his own wrist.<p>

He held out his wrist for her, allowing her the space to back out—she did not have to take his blood. Slowly, she took his wrist and pulled it closer to her lips, before stopping short, a frown rippling her forehead. "If I drink, will I be—"

He shook his head instantly. "No. It might have some … Side-effects, but those are minor."

She bit her lip and cocked her head to the side. "Side-effects?"

He was most certain that if he could blush, he would. Her inquisitive, coy expression caught him off-guard, and he wasn't sure what to do with it. "Uh…" he choked, "Nothing bad…You might have … certain dreams.. And uh… an increased sexual desire… Things like that."

He could've sworn she smiled—but the smile disappeared so swiftly, he doubted it had ever been there to begin with. Instead, she pulled his wrist to her lips and swallowed, drinking deeply for a moment—with every swallow, Godric could feel the blood leave his body—it caused a certain rush; a high he had not anticipated; and he could not suppress the guttural moan that spilled from his lips.

After a full minute of allowing his head to spin with the agonizing pleasure blood sharing caused, he pulled his arm away from her lips carefully and tilted her head to the side to make sure the injury had fully healed.

"Why did you save me?" she whispered, her eyes locked on his features when he helped her back onto her feet. "Why would you care?"

He was silent for a moment, attempting to find the correct words to voice his fascination, his obsession with her wellbeing. "There's…" he hesitated, "There is something about you that draws me in. I do not know what it is, nor do I know why you… but it is there nonetheless. You intrigue me."

This time, she did smile—a smile so beautiful it nearly broke his heart; it made him want to claim her as his even more; but she clearly had no intention nor desire to ever become his.

The mere words had frightened her.

He would have to leave her in peace—he would have to forget; she was not for his pleasure; this much had already been demonstrated by everything that had happened today.

"Come," he spoke softly, "I shall accompany you back to the walls. You must not go into these woods alone again—I shall not be there to protect you a second time."

They walked in companionable silence, side-by-side—nearly touching—trudging through the woods, approaching the walls of her village swiftly and silently.  
>When they broke through the first line of trees, he halted instantly, not willing to risk exposure. He did not want to be seen by anyone else tonight—being exposed to the girl he had been stalking and another, unknown vampire was already far more than he had intended.<p>

He would be forced to leave now—which might not be such a bad thing, considering his bordering obsession with the girl.

"I must take my leave," he spoke softly, "Please be safe." He turned his back on her—ignoring the strange ache in the middle of his chest—, fully intending on never coming back.

Before he took another step, her hand rested upon his shoulder, light and so fragile, as she whispered, "Wait!"

She had nearly exhaled the word—so soft and breathy, a human might not have heard—but he heard her as though she had shouted the word. He attempted to steel himself—prepare himself for her beauty, her dark, blue, alluring eyes that would undoubtedly attempt to draw him in once again.

Slowly, he spun around, examining her apprehensive expression, as she seemed to search for words. "I wish to express my gratitude," she finally spoke, weighing her words, "but I do not know how, nor do I know to whom I should address it. Please, vampire," she said, "Tell me your name."

His name fell from his lips before he could consider the repercussions of his actions. "Godric," she repeated, a smile twisting her lips, "I owe you my life; I am forever in your debt. If you ever require a repayment, name it." She breathed in deeply before whispering, "Even if you decide you wish to taste my blood."

He merely stared, in awe of this girl's bravery and strength. She tiptoed and pressed her soft, sweet lips to his cheek—nearly obliterating him on the spot—before smiling, blushing and turning around to head back to the village.

"Wait!" He cried, taking an involuntary step closer.

She turned back and smiled at him—he pretended her smile did not affect him the way it did—and said, "Ariana. My name is Ariana."

And with those words, she turned away again, heading back towards the village, leaving Godric standing in the middle of the woods, bemused and strangely anxious as he had never been before.

.

.

.

In the day that followed, Godric found himself utterly unable to rest—something that only furthered the damn bleeds that stained his clothes more with every second he was up while the sun was out.

He was consumed by the girl—Ariana.

He could not, for the life of him, shake her from his thoughts—the feel of her soft, pliant body pressed against his haunted him in his sleep, the smell of her blood making him ache in desire; desire that encompassed so much more than a mere desire to bed and feed on her.

The dreams frightened him, in ways he had not felt afraid in nearly a thousand years—because they were dreams of things he had dreamed of as a human.

Love.

Passion.

Glory.

Things he believed he could no longer have.

He was a vampire; he was not meant for love, or any of such ridiculous things.

And yet, every time he went to ground, he found his thoughts wandering back to Ariana, and the things she had awoken deep within him—and he wished desperately he would know what the right thing to do was.

Because he did not.

No longer.

Eric had been insistent they'd leave Greece—he was eager to once again lay eyes upon the Sea he had grown up with, and Godric could not fault him for it, though the thought of leaving Ariana, never returning to see her again—at least not in her lifetime—caused him agony unlike any he had experienced before.

And so he stalled.

He stalled Eric, told him he was not yet ready to leave, told him that they would, soon, but not yet.

And every night, he returned to the village, hidden amongst the shadows, and watched Ariana—he studied her, observed her every move, until he knew her features better than he knew his own.

But not once did he speak to her again.

He feared discovery, and the slaughter it would no doubt lead to. He had no qualms whatsoever taking out any human that might come for him—he really could not care less about their petty lives—but he feared Ariana's wrath that would undoubtedly follow were he to kill her friends, family and fellow villagers.

The thought of her hatred made him feel ill.

He had quickly decided not to investigate that feeling to closely, for he feared the revelation it might bring, and opted to stay out of sight, hoping that it would never come to that.

Tonight was no different than any of the other nights he had spent watching her.

Not at first.

He watched the moon rise from beneath the distant treetops, marveling at its beauty for a moment before turning to stare intently at the gates, waiting for his own beauty to come out and greet the guard before taking the night watch.

Like she did every night.

It was only when she stayed away far longer than usual that the first seeds of worry grew deep in the pit of his stomach.

He watched as the guard was relieved by another—another that was not his beautiful Ariana.

His insides squeezed uncomfortably as he regarded the new guard closely, wondering where Ariana was, and why she was not at the post she was otherwise.

He contemplated leaving now; he could interpret this—her absence—as a sign; a sign to leave now, before he would cause problems of proportions he could not even begin to contemplate.

Before he came to a decision though, she appeared, finally.

As soon as his intense feeling of relief subsided, he realized just how upset she looked. Even from his hiding spot in the shadows, roughly twenty feet away from her, he could see the large dark circles underneath her eyes, her blue eyes bloodshot and red-rimmed as though she had spent hours crying.

She exchanged a few soft, quick words with the other guard before the latter nodded and walked through the gates, leaving Ariana on her own.

He watched as she wiped at her eyes again, an uncomfortable lump forming in his throat. He wished nothing more than to walk forward and hold her— to comfort her as she cried, but he was held back by his instincts, telling him to stay far away from her, because it would be nothing short of foolish to give into his desires for this human girl.

He remained still for a moment longer, torn between the desire to run far from Ariana and the strange draw he felt to her, and the urge to show himself, to talk to her once more.

Before he could make up his mind, he found his feet had already carried him forward, emerging from the shadows. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender and smiled when Ariana tensed and raised her spear, ready to run him through before she recognized him.

His heart ached with honest-to-God-longing as he watched a beautiful smile spread across her features, her spear dropping a few inches as she stared at him.

"Godric?"

He marveled at the way she wrapped her lips around his name, the rich, honeyed tones of her accent like music to his ears.

She hesitated for a moment before completely lowering her spear, looking around carefully, presumably to check whether or not they were alone, before she carefully approached him. "I thought you had left—you did say you were going to leave…"

He looked down at the ground for a moment, attempting to regain some semblance of control before he dared gaze upon her again. "I'm aware of what I said," he said slowly, "but I found myself… _intrigued_ by these lands. I could not find the strength in my heart to leave just yet."

He could not tell her that he had stayed because he felt unable to leave her behind, knowing that he would never return to see her again. He could not tell how many nights he and his progeny had spent fighting about leaving. He could not tell her he feared he had fallen deeply in love with her, before he even got to know her.

It sounded absolutely ridiculous even to himself.

He felt increasingly uncomfortable under her gaze, and contemplated simply turning around and walking away, until she spoke again, her hand raising slowly, her fingertips gently touching his jaw. He stood frozen before her as she trailed her fingers over his features, a pensive expression on her face.

He did not know how to deal with what he felt now—no one had ever touched him with such tenderness and care before. No one had ever looked at him like she was now, and he simply did not know what to do with it.

"Godric—" He took a shuddering breath when his name fell from her lips once again, "—Please tell me the truth. I know you have been following me; and if I may be frank, it is starting to scare me a little." It hardly surprised him she had been aware of his presence.

He stared at her for a moment, still too uncomfortable to actually voice what she had done to him—so he strived to change the subject. "Why did you cry? You were so much later than other days," he said slowly, nearly drawling the words as he took a careful step back, wincing as her fingers dropped from his skin.

She swallowed and looked to the ground, her voice muffled as she whispered, "I was not crying."

He knew it was foolish and stupid, and that he would come to regret it in the end, but he stepped closer again, slowly raising his hands to rest gently on her cheeks, tilting her head up so he could look into the cerulean eyes that haunted his dreams every day come sunrise.

"Why were you crying?" He repeated, softly, looking into her eyes—trying desperately not to drown in the ocean of secrets her eyes held.

"I am betrothed," she finally admitted, "to a man I cannot stand to look at, much less imagine to wed. I begged our Elders to reconsider, but as my parents have both passed, it is their duty to find a suitable husband for me. I get no say in the matter."

He opened his mouth to retort—the thought of Ariana belonging to another was something that made him want to keel over and throw up—but could not find the correct words, and closed his mouth again, frowning heavily. "There has to be something you can do to abolish the marriage, if you truly wish not to partake in it," he said, his tone hard and cold—colder than he had intended, and he winced in regret as she flinched. "They cannot simply force you to wed, can they?"

She blinked a few times, and he nearly growled when he saw fresh tears shining in her eyes. "Yes, they can," she said simply.

He let the subject rest—she was pleading him with her eyes not to ask more; pleading to just say anything that would take her mind of it.

He tried to remember words—something that would make sense—but he could not. Her eyes drew him in, and all he found himself capable of doing was gawk at her beauty, studying her features once again.

He adored the way her dark hair tumbled from its braid, stubborn curls resting lightly on her forehead. Her eyes shone as she looked at him, her expression pensive and confused. "Why are you so frightened?" She whispered, her fingers trailing down his arm until they met his, entwining swiftly, almost as though their hands had minds of their own.

He stared at their entwined fingers, momentarily forgetting how to breathe at how _perfectly_ their hands seemed to fit into each other, thinking about what she had asked.

He did not know.

He was not sure _why_ he was frightened—but her humanity was not something he marveled over.

It made him feel weak, to feel things such as the things she made him feel. There was not supposed to be anything—only survival or death.

He did not know how to deal with anything else.

"You are human," he finally responded, enunciating every word slowly and carefully, uncertain whether or not the words would insult her or not.

She tilted her head to the side a little and smiled. "Then should I not be the one who is frightened?" He raised his free hand to her cheek, caressing the soft, silky skin for a moment. "You were," he whispered in reply, "I believe you were absolutely terrified."

She shook her head and raised her own hand to cover his, her eyes boring into his. "Not of you. Never of you."

Her eyes met his once again, and she nodded almost imperceptibly, her heartbeat picking up in speed as he leaned closer, caressing her cheek with the pad of his thumb. He smiled as her breathing caught when he brushed his lips ever so softly over hers. He withdrew quickly, cursed under his breath softly before leaning in again and pressing his lips against hers a little more forcefully.

Though the kiss was supposed to have been gentle, innocent, the feelings that he had been suppressing ever since they met collided with the heated sensation of her soft, wet lips on his. He just exploded with a tsunami of emotions—emotions he had shut off almost a millennium ago.

They all just came rushing back to him, leaving him breathing heavily and gasping slightly. He could feel the burn on his cheek where her fingers were softly caressing his skin as she kissed him back with equal want and force.

He growled against her lips, before letting his lips wander down her throat, breathing in her heavenly scent, his fangs dropping before he could consciously stop himself, and she froze as she felt his fangs rest against the thin, breakable skin of her jugular.

He made to pull away from her, already realizing how much of a mistake it was on his part to allow himself to be swept away by his passion, but she laced her fingers through his hair, holding him to her. "I trust you," she breathed, and he felt her heartbeat quicken beneath his lips, "Do it. I trust you."

But, as much as her blood—and her request—drove him insane with desire, he could not do it. He forced his fangs back, pressing a single, lingering kiss to the soft skin over her coronary artery—he needed to remember the taste of her on his lips.

He remained in her embrace from one more heartbeat before he found the strength to pull himself away. He closed his eyes and turned away from her, running from her—knowing he had to do this, before whatever drew them together would destroy them both.

"Godric!" He didn't slow down, his heart thrumming in his chest like it had not in a very, very long time—he wasn't ready for what she undoubtedly wanted to discuss.

He could not be ready.

It was ridiculous.

Life didn't work like this for him—there was no love in this world; if one allowed another to get too close, all they did was employ the weakness in his treacherously human heart to seek his destruction. He could not see a single reason Ariana would be any different than any of the other humans or vampires he had ever encountered in his exceptionally long life.

"Damn it, Godric," he tried not to smirk at the frustration that leaked into her voice, "Wait!" Ignoring her proved impossible—she wrapped her fingers around his wrist and yanked him back, spinning him around to face her once again.

Honestly, he could have left—used his vampire strength and speed to escape her—but he did not truly want to.

It was just not possible.

He pulled away from her touch though—it burned him—he could not handle the intimacy of her touch. It was too much, too soon. "We kissed, Godric," she spat, "It may not mean a lot to you, but it does me." He softened at the unexpected emotions filling those cerulean eyes as he slowly raised his hand to touch her cheek once again.

He watched—slightly fearful of just how much that look in her eyes made him feel—as she gently laid her hand upon his, pulled it down to her lips and pressed a kiss to his palm before lowering his hand, taking a slow, deliberate step closer to him.

"I don't know what this is," he whispered, "I don't know how to be what you wish for me to be."

She took a deep breath and raised her eyes to meet his warm gaze. "I shall not hurt you," she whispered, "will you not believe me? Has your life been filled with so much hardships that my word is completely void to you?"

Her heartbeat was pounding in his ears—he was not sure why, but she made his stomach spin every time she smiled. There was something so honest, so real in her eyes, that he could not do anything but believe her, even if his thousand-year-old survival instinct was screaming at him not to listen to her.

He did not fully trust his own vocal abilities at that moment, so he simply nodded—he did believe her. And she had been quite right; there was something that insisted on drawing them together.

Perhaps ignoring it would be a foolish thing to do.

Her answering smile was so radiant, he could feel his own lips curl up into a sly smile—without actually occasion or reason to smile. Without doing anything, she made him smile. It baffled him—it had been such a long time since he had any reason to genuinely smile.

"Okay," she nodded, "Please—will you stay?" He shifted uncomfortably, unsure how to respond to that request—he wished to stay; he truly did, more than he had desired to do anything in a thousand years; but fear still grappled at him; and he could not simply say yes.

He shifted uncomfortably, torn between what he wished to do, and what he knew he should do. It was not fair to either of them to draw this out—it would only be more painful when he would be forced to go; when he would be forced to leave her behind.

The life he lived was not a life suited for a human, no matter how strong she was.

"You're human," he said slowly, repeating his earlier words, "I cannot allow you to—" She shook her head, interrupting him once again—a feat that made him smile lightly, despite the severity of the situation. Her expression was … Surprised.

Incredulous, almost.

"Do you fear it?" She almost whispered, disbelief lacing her words. "My humanity?" He shook his head—for he did not.

No, her humanity was not what he found himself frightened of.

"I fear your mortality," he finally replied, and though he wished he had not spoken of this weakness, he was certain she would have found out eventually. "I fear the day death will claim you—the day you will no longer be by my side, if that was what I would allow. I would be forced to go on—your death is inevitable. And I…" he sighed deeply. "I fear the pain, the agony losing you will cause me."

He smiled sadly at her, and noted how they were standing impossibly close to one another, without a single inch of their skin touching. "I am a vampire," he explained, "A part, somewhere deep inside of me, is still human—and it is my biggest weakness. I am not … _accustomed _to feeling, for feeling makes me weak, and weakness gets me killed."

Ariana was biting her lower lip, and when she finally released it from between her pearly white teeth, it was red and swollen, and Godric found himself wishing he could be the one to bite that lip. Then, he realized, that her lips were moving, and that he was missing part of their conversation, once again, by being distracted by his desire for her.

"I am _much_ older than I appear," she finished, when he had managed to redirect his attention to her words. "How?" he breathed, feeling as though he was missing something crucial, a detail that should not be overlooked.

She lowered her eyes to the forest floor, nibbling on her bottom lip once again, in a move that made him nearly delirious with desire. "Can I trust you not to tell?" She looked up, straight into his eyes—into his soul; if he chose to believe he still had one. "This is a secret kept for millennia—you will be the first outsider to know."

Intrigued, he nodded. "I give you my word—I will not speak of this to anyone; not even to my Child." She looked slightly taken aback for a moment, frowning in a way he found oddly adorable. "You have a Child?" He smiled and nodded slowly. "In a way—I made him a vampire; he is created by my blood, therefore he is my Child."

He could see understanding bloom in those hauntingly blue eyes of hers, before she nodded. "I see." She shook her head lightly, gathering her thoughts as she spoke. "I am not human," she swallowed, "Not fully. None of us are. We're immortal."

Godric had not believed, after a thousand years on this earth, that he could still be surprised—but he never would have been able to predict those words falling from her lips. "That is not possible—such a thing does not exist."

She smiled uncomfortably, shrugging a little. "There are legends, in our village, that say we are descendants from those who came from the union between Gods and men. I do not know if it is true," she breathed in deeply and smiled at him, "But I do know our lives are unnaturally long—and that there are those with powers that baffle all."

Godric was absolutely bewildered, and he wondered briefly if she could not have fought off the other vampire on her own, if what she said was the truth—but then he realized she had never confirmed having those powers herself. "Do you?" He wondered aloud, "Have such powers?"

She shook her head, smiling lightly. "No. Only a few of us do—it does not manifest until a certain age is reached; I am not of that age, and those that were born with the powers have perished long ago; only one of our village Elders still has powers like those." He attempted to process the information she had just given him, and the tremendous amount of trust she had placed in him frightened him slightly—it was more than anyone had ever done; no one had ever placed such faith in him.

"You won't die," he suddenly realized, his eyes snapping up to meet hers. "I would not lose you."

She shook her head once more, and the hopeful smile that graced her lips was simply so irresistible, he could not control himself, and kissed her, briefly and softly. "I won't die," she whispered once he had broken the kiss, "I'm not afraid of you—never of you. Do not leave me," she breathed, "Do not turn your back on this. Please."

He opened his mouth, to deny her claim—for surely, there was nothing to turn his back on; he was a vampire.

He was a ruthless killer.

The silence stretched on, for he could not find the words he needed to deny her claim, and Ariana shifted uncomfortably, hurt blooming deep in her eyes, the bright blue darkening to deep, midnight blue. "Of course," she spat, "Vampires do not recognize feelings—I briefly forgot. I'll leave now, and I would appreciate it if you did too; or I will report you to the Elders."

She turned away from him, and his heart—that had been cold and dead for centuries now—shattered at the look of utter contempt in her gaze as she did. "Ariana," he begged, before he allowed himself to change his mind, "Please. I… I don't know how to be what you wish me to be—emotions are weakness; I have a Child to raise, to teach our ways—how would I be what you wish for me to be at the same time?"

He could see the tension in her shoulders dissipate little by little, finding himself drawn to the long line of her neck as she swallowed thickly. "I don't want to get my heart broken," she breathed so silently, he barely heard her—and it broke him in ways he did not believe he could be broken. "I don't wish to break it," he breathed back, slowly moving to stand in front of her.

He wished desperately to touch her, but he refrained—he had genuinely hurt her feelings, and he was not certain if she would allow any sort of physical contact now. "I'm afraid," she whispered, finally meeting his eye; the cerulean blue in her eyes drawing him in once again. "I'm so afraid of what this could be," she continued, "But I fear the regret of not taking the risk at all even more."

He stood frozen as she cupped his cheeks with her warm, soft hands, tiptoeing lightly to kiss him once again—and he simply melted into her.

She was quite right. The fear of regret was far worse than the fear of heartbreak.

He slid one arm around her waist to hold her close to him, treading the fingers of his free hand in her soft, silky locks, before leaning back to allow her to breathe. "I must go," she breathed against his lips, resting her forehead lightly against his. "I will be relieved soon. Come to me tomorrow, when you rise?" She asked slowly—he could almost feel the tension in her question; the longing, the fear, the magnitude of their predicament hung in the air.

He remained silent for a moment—he knew she was waiting; he could feel her body grow tense in his embrace once again, before he made a decision that would impact many lives—human, vampire and other kinds alike.

He pressed another kiss to her lips and whispered, "I will be there."


	2. Moonlight

**Moonlight**

_ARIANA'S POV_

I smiled at the girl who came to relieve me. 'Anything to report?' she asked. I shook my head. 'No, everything is quiet.' She nodded. 'Alright. Goodnight then.'  
>I nodded. 'Goodnight.' I hurried into the village, trying to ignore how hot my cheeks were, and how sensitive my skin felt. I had not felt this way for more than a thousand years. Last time hadn't ended all that well for the other side. He had been mortal.<br>He had not been handling the being immortal very well. Jealousy had consumed him, and I had left, hoping he might forget about me and move on. I had sworn never to love again. It hurt too much.  
>Yet, today, I had experienced the love-at-first-sight all over again, only twice as intense. Godric was . . . different. I had never before met anyone like him. He looked like no more than a boy, sixteen, seventeen at most. Honestly, neither did I.<br>It felt like we were made for each other, but I knew it was impossible. I was not allowed to leave the village. I did not know why the Elders paid such an unusual interest to me. I was of course the only orphan in the village, but that had not been unprecedented.

I reached my home and opened the door. The rich earthly perfume of the candles I had burned earlier today greeted me.  
>My house was decorated quite simple. A bed stood in the corner, close to the fireplace, a cupboard against the other wall. I owned one painting, a portrait of my mother. I had never known her, they said she had died giving birth to me. My father had slowly languished after my mother's death, and had died a good two years later. One of the Elders raised my until I had reached the age of a woman and was allowed to live in this house – my parents' house.<br>I tossed my spear and knife in a distant corner of the house and pulled the leather cords out of my hair. I loved the way my hair flowed down my shoulders like a waterfall. A woman was not allowed to wear her hair loose until she had reached the age of illumination and had married an immortal. I had not reached that age yet and was not married to another immortal. Not for the lack of candidates or their lack of trying. I merely did not wish to marry any of the losers the village provided.

Therefore I was obliged to braid my hair the same way we had done for centuries, millennia even. They mostly just gave me a headache, so I wished the day of my illumination would soon approach so I could wear my hair exactly the way I wanted to. Or I could marry another immortal. My thoughts wandered off to Godric. I knew it was wrong, but I had never met anyone who made me feel like a young girl again. I undressed and pulled a cotton shirt over my head, already feeling sleepier. I pulled the sheets back and crawled in my bed.  
>As I closed my eyes, the last image I saw before I fell asleep was Godric, leaning closer to kiss me one last time.<p>

* * *

><p><em>GODRIC'S POV<em>

Godric opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling of the cave. He thought about his dreams.  
>They had been disturbingly . . . Enjoyable. Likable even.<br>Eric snored across the cave, and the echo startled Godric. He sat up and bumped his head on the low ceiling. He cursed under his breath. The light outside was rapidly fading. He got up and pulled his shirt over his head. 'Where are you going?' Godric slowed his moves and turned around to see Eric wide awake. 'Out. None of you business anyway.' Eric laughed. 'Off to your human then. I don't see why you bother. She is good only for her blood. Does it taste that good?' Godric smiled and remembered the taste of her lips on his. 'You have no idea,' he answered before flitting into the woods.

He paused at the edge of the village. They had not seen him, he was sure of that. A large tree leaned over the wall, it's branches reaching far into the village. He flitted in the tree and looked over the wall into the village. People were buzzing around in the village, preparing for the night.  
>He looked around, looking for the house Ariana had mentioned yesterday.<br>The house was easy to spot. It was indeed the smallest and the humblest of all the houses. It seemed hardly befitting for someone like her. She deserved far better.  
>He crawled to the end of the branch he sat on. It hung over the small garden behind her house. He slowly lowered himself and jumped into the garden.<p>

He approached the door with a feeling of growing anticipation and fear. She had said he could come if he hadn't changed his mind, but he wasn't the human. Humans were unpredictable, easily changed their mind. Yet there was something about her that drew him to her. His hand rested on the doorknob. He couldn't get his hand to move. He couldn't open the door and ruin her life. He felt something he had never felt before.  
>He was afraid to call it love, for he knew not what love was. He knew only death, suffering and torture.<br>It was too late for him to change. Why should he ruin her life with his? If he loved her, wouldn't he do better to leave her? He turned to walk away when the door opened behind him.  
>'Godric,' she whispered to his back. 'You came.' He turned around, knowing that if she would kiss him once more, he would pledge his love to her. For as long as she wanted it, and longer. When his eyes met hers, he felt like struck by lightning. She looked. . . beautiful, there was no other word that befitted her. Her long, dark hair hung down her back and over her shoulders, framing her face and her large, deep blue eyes. She wore a simple, low-cut white dress that revealed quite a lot of her figure.<p>

He swallowed. She smiled, 'Oh, right. Godric, would you please come inside?' He grinned and stepped inside the soberly decorated house. She owned nothing more than a cupboard and a bed and a few other simple pieces of furniture. She closed the door and looked at him, looking for his reaction to her house. He couldn't think of the house though. All he could think of was her. He wanted to feel her lips on his.  
>She seemed to think along the same lines, blushing when she noticed he was only looking at her instead of the house. 'I, um, I know it's not really much, but it's home to me,' she whispered. She sat down on the bed and looked at him, waiting for him to say something. He opened his mouth , but no sound came out.<br>She did that to him. She had that crazy effect on him. 'Well,' he finally managed to say, 'speaking as someone who had lived in caves the past millennium, it's not that bad. It actually looks really comfortable.'

She smiled widely and patted the bed next to her. 'Why don't you try it out, you'll see just how comfortable it is.' He stared at her, a look of disbelief on his face. 'Are you flirting with a vampire?' he asked her, still smiling, and slowly approached her. She raised her eyebrows and smiled again. He was now directly in front of her. She got up, blushing vigorously. 'Shame on you,' he whispered when her lips were only inches from his. 'Not if it's working,' she whispered. His fangs popped out, but she didn't pull away or look scared. Their lips touched for a split-second before he pulled away and turned his back on her.  
>'I can't,' he crooked, 'I'll kill you. . . I'm sorry. I. . .' He wanted to leave, turned to the door, but she stopped him by jumping in front of the door. 'Godric, please. Why don't you understand? I have lived as long as you have, longer even, and I have never, ever felt like this before. Ever. I don't know what it is yet, but I want to know. I'm not afraid of you, of dying or anything. Godric, please don't go.' Her eyes were large and wet and irresistibly blue.<p>

He leaned past her to the doorknob, trying to open it without hurting her. However, that move did not go the way he planned. She put her hands on his chest, pushed him back and pressed her lips on his. He felt her tongue graze his lower lip and groaned, before he pushed her away, against the door. He breathed heavily, and tried to focus on what to do next. Of course, the kiss had so altered his thinking and acting that the best thing to do seemed to be to kiss her again. He pushed her back against the door, enjoying the feeling of her body against his. After living as a savage for so long, taking women whenever he wanted to, this felt so different. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. When he leaned back to take a breath he felt immensely pleased with the satisfied smile on her lips.  
>'We shouldn't be doing this,' he whispered. 'I know,' she replied and kissed him again, 'but it feels so good.'<p>

He couldn't disagree. He let her lead him to the bed, softly kissing him, pushing him down on the bed. He loosened the laces of her dress while she pulled his ragged old shirt over his head. He let his hand wander up her thigh slowly, causing her to let the air escape through her teeth.  
>She moaned again when he traced his lips down her throat and further down to her chest. Finally, their clothes fell on the ground, and nothing separated them from each other anymore. His skin was so sensitive that every touch, every kiss felt like a meeting with the sun.<br>When they bodies entwined and became one, it was as if it were always meant to be. They were like two pieces of one whole, finally together again.  
>They moved and sighed as one, drowning in each other's presence and joy. Finally they moved one last time and sighed in unison before their mutual pleasure came to an gradual and satisfying end.<p>

She lay in his arms, and studied his expression. His fangs were out. He hadn't bitten her, and he knew she wondered why. 'Godric,' she finally said, 'I . . . I don't know what to say. I don't have any words that would be suitable for what I feel.' ' He nodded and kissed her hair. He too had no words for the swirling ocean of emotions she had unleashed inside him. He gazed ahead, trying to comprehend the feelings he felt, trying to decide if he could live with this.  
>After a long silence, he looked at her again, trying to find the right words. 'I know what you mean. A thousand years would not be enough to tell you what this feels like. What I feel. I didn't think I . . . Never mind.' He stood up and quickly dressed.<br>Ariana was still in the bed, where he'd left her. She looked at him while he dressed, a smile playing on her lips. His shirt in hand, he walked up to the bed again, kneeled beside it and kissed her.

When he finally remembered she had to breath, he leaned back, still caressing her face. She suddenly laughed. 'What?' 'You look like you are trying to solve a very difficult riddle.'  
>He grinned. 'Maybe I am. You are a riddle.' With these words, he left the house, leaving Ariana and her strange attraction.<p>

* * *

><p>Nights became more and more pleasurable and Godric found himself dreaming about Ariana almost constantly. Eric was impatient and wished to move on, leaving 'the wretched place' behind, never looking back. Yet, Godric couldn't not find the heart to tell Ariana he would have to move on. That what they had been enjoying for weeks was all a lie.<br>Of course it had been, he was a vampire. She was human, immortal or not. Their love - if it deserved that name - would never be approved, nor understood.  
>The villagers of Ariana's village had of course noticed the change in her mood, appearance and . . . Well, everything. She had been really depressed about having to marry her cousin, but now it seemed like she did not even care.<p>

Godric had frowned a lot over that one. She told him she would refuse the marriage. She was old enough to decide how to live her life herself. He could not help but feel that if he hadn't showed up, she would've gotten married and lived her life peacefully and normally; as normal as was possible with an immortal life.  
>She would have children, a loving husband and a home; things he could never give her, even if he'd wanted to. The world knew nothing about vampires, and that was to remain this way. A vampire-human relationship would ruin all that. Finally, after many debates and heated discussions, they had agreed not to speak of it again, to let everything unfold the way it was supposed to.<p>

One night, almost a fortnight after their first night together, Godric snuck into the garden, listening at the door for unfamiliar voices. As there were none, he entered, not thinking to knock.  
>Ariana wasn't in the house. This had happened before. It just meant he had to wait until she had finished keeping watch. This time, however, there was someone else in the house. Someone he had never seen before. The woman sat on their bed, looking at him intensely. Her long hair was loose and silver like he had never seen before; she was no doubt one of the Elders Ariana had spoken of. He considered running away for a split-second, but she spoke before he had opened the door again.<br>'So it is you. Godric, son of Suvallos.' She spoke to him in his own tongue, one he had not heard for many centuries. He stood frozen, his hand on the doorhandle.

'You know me? How?' She smiled, which he had never expected. She gestured to a chair, one that had most definately not been there last night. Walking carefully and ever watchful he sat down on the chair. The woman smiled again. 'Please, Godric, I would not harm you. Do not fear me.' He only relaxed a little bit. 'Please, let me explain why I am here. I am sure you wondered.' This, he could not deny. She sighed and arranged the long plain white robes she wore over her knees.  
>'Ariana is our hope for our future. We protected her, kept her safe. We didn't let her travel the world as we usually do our children. Of course out of fear of losing her.' He frowned. He didn't see where the story was going, but he saw no reason to leave or kill the woman.<br>'I'm sure Ariana has told you that some of us are blessed with extra gifts?' He nodded. 'I have the gift of Foresight. I was born with it. I have always known a day would come where she would meet one like you. There were two possible futures. When she fell for you, it was the start of a long, painful struggle. Her life won't be easy. If she would've chosen to marry her cousin, her life would've been easy, calm, perfect in every way, but one. She would not love him. She would not know what True Love means. She would die ignorant.'

He frowned again. 'You said would. And if. Is the chance for that future past?' She smiled sadly. 'Your presence here would say it was. She loves you, I cannot doubt that. Not anymore. Not after I have seen the look in your eyes.' Godric got up and paced around. 'You knew my name. My father. Even I barely remember him. How?' She sighed. 'I knew your Maker.' Godric hissed. 'And your father. When I travelled the world when I was young, many, many years ago, I met him. You are very much like him.'  
>He didn't know what to say. 'You want me to leave, don't you? You want me to give her the chance to a normal life,' he then said. She looked up at him. 'I cannot deny that thought has not crossed my mind. But I know what that would do to the both of you. I cannot ask such a sacrifice from either of you. Both have suffered enough for a lifetime.' Godric sank back in the chair.<p>

'I am here to give you a warning, Godric. Just a warning. Have you tasted her blood?' Dazed, he shook his head. 'Good,' she said, 'don't. It'll be like a drug to you. You won't be able to stop.' Godric stared at her, but before either of them could say another thing, the front door opened and Ariana walked in, throwing her stuff into a cornor casually. When she noticed them, she froze on the doorstep. 'What-' she started. The Elder raised her hand and rose from the bed gracefully. 'Godric and I had a nice little chat. Do not worry, child. I will keep your secret.' With those words she walked through the door an left them alone, both still stunned by this unusual turn of events.

* * *

><p>Godric took the Elders warning to heart and avoided drinking Ariana's blood. They were careful after her unexpected visit. Yet, however careful they were, nothing could've stopped that horrible night from happening. They had made love and lay in each other's arms, discussing how they would go on.<br>Godric had promised Eric they would soon move on, as they had been here far too long already. He had told Ariana about Eric and explained the bond between a Maker and his progedy.  
>There were only a few hours left 'til dawn, and Godric pulled his leather trousers and shoes on, for he needed to convince Eric to stay a few more days. Maybe a week.<p>

Ariana got up too and pulled a long shirt over her head. She kissed him on his cheek once, laughing when he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. She pressed her lips on his one last time that night and opened the door for him. He went outside, walked away, turned around and ran back to kiss her again. After a long and elaborate goodbye, she closed the door and he turned around to the tree.

When he lunged fot the branch, he felt pain like he never had before and smelled his own burning skin. He screamed and fell on his back, silver chains on his neck. Above him, three figures moved around, throwing more silver over his body. When they dropped the last chain on his legs, he could no longer say nothing and moaned in agony. He looked at the sky, praying, begging to any God he could think of for the pain to stop. 'That's right, you filthy little vampire. That'll teach you for praying on our women. Say goodbye to your precious moon. This is the last time you'll see the bloody moonlight. Prepare for meeting some sunlight.'

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, this is the second part, I hope you like it.<br>This is my first Fanfic, so be patient with me. I can hardly believe I am really writing this myself. I liked Godric from the first moment I saw him on the show, and I really thought a guy like him needed a special girl. **

**Please review the story. I would very much like to know what you think of my idea.  
>Thnxx you guys!<strong>


	3. Tears Of Blood

**Tears of blood**

The door of the house opened and Ariana ran outside, carrying her spear. 'STOP!' She yelled in Greek. 'Stop! Do not touch him, or I will kill you. Without a second of regret!' The men stopped moving, knowing very well that if she wanted to kill them, she could.  
>Then a fourth person stepped into the light shining through the door, and all gasped for breath. The little Elder, the one that had spoken to him and Ariana, lay her hand on Ariana's arm and pushed the spear down. 'Now is not the time to fight, little one.' Ariana stared at her, her mouth hanging open.<br>'No, no, please, no. I can't. I can't do nothing. Please.' But the Elder shook her old head and her eyes met Godric's for a short moment. Suddenly he heard her croaking voice in his head, loud and clear as if she had said it out loud. 'I am sorry, Godric. I tried to convince everyone to let the events unfold, but they would not be convinced otherwise. Perhaps she can convince them to let you go.'

He nodded and made a face when the chains moved. Ariana lunged forward when he moaned again, trying to get to him. She was held back by three men, but they had a hard time, as she struggled heavily.  
>'Ariana,' he whispered, and she stopped moving immediately. 'Don't; it's okay.' Tears ran down her cheeks as she stared at him. She shook her head; 'No, no, it's not. I won't let you die because of me.' The men dragged him away, keeping the chains tight around him. He heard Ariana's cries for a long time before they finally subsided. He was led to the centre of the village, where all the villagers seemed to be gathered in a large circle. Six hooded figures were in the middle of the circle, their eyes ever watchful.<br>He shuddered. He was not scared. He feared for Ariana though. He was forced to his knees. 'What will you do to me?' He asked the Elders. A small, seventh figure joined the line. He recognized the Elder who'd spoken to him in his mind. The Elder that stood in the middle of the line, a tall, graying man, stepped forward and spoke in a loud, booming voice. 'You are being charged, vampire, of glamouring one of our innocent women and dishonoring her, using her innocence for your own desires. We treat all the same here. You are to know that any of us would be punished the same way. There is also the matter of you being an outsider. This makes it an even greater offence. You will be sentenced to death, by means of exposing you to the sun.'

Godric sighed and looked to the ground. Ariana was led into the circle, her eyes still red from the crying. She turned to the Elders, shook off her guards and straightened up. 'Release him. You have no right to keep him chained like this. He hasn't done anything wrong.' Another female Elder spoke. 'He has robbed you of your innocence.' She laughed, almost crazily. 'Oh, please. You actually believed it? When I told you I had not yet given myself to William?' Whispers broke out amongst the people. 'You wouldn't have.' 'I loved him! I would've married him if you had let me! You took him from me, you're not taking him from me too!' A voice in the crowd rang out. 'How would you possibly stop them?' Ariana turned and pointed one finger at a young man in the crowd. He moved as if she had pulled him forward with a leash. 'Don't think you can stop me. If I want to, I can destroy everyone here. Don't ever doubt that.'

The Elders whispered amongst themselves, distraught. Godric's guards loosened their grip on the chains slightly, for all were gripped by the event unfolding itself before their eyes. Even he was startled.  
>Ariana seemed to be oozing light, growing larger. He realized what was happening. He should've realized how much she cared. He had seen it in her eyes.<br>Now his life was being threatened because of her, she was doing the only thing she could to save him. She had reached the age of illumination. She was receiving her powers.  
>The old little Elder stepped forward and reached for Ariana's hand, and suddenly, it was like she was ablaze with bright white light too.<p>

All now stepped back, dragging Godric back with them, away from the two women blazing with light, the air vibrant with might. The chains slipped off his neck and arms, and he crawled away from his guards, rubbing his neck, feeling skin reform over the wound slowly. No one paid any attention to him.  
>He wanted to leave, knowing the sun would come up any moment, but he knew that if he left now, he would probably never see Ariana again. His life seemed like a tiny little detail if it meant seeing her one last time. He drank in the vision of Ariana's expression, her closed eyes, the relaxed muscles around her lips, the way her hair was swept around her face, even though there was no wind. He was gripped by the spectacle when suddenly, everything changed. Where there had been light before, now there was only darkness, but no darkness like he had seen before. It was like Ariana absorbed all light, leaving nothing but black emptiness, threatening to swallow the entire village, the entire world. Ariana's hand let go of the Elders hand, and the Elder was thrown back several feet before landing in a small heap. Godric scrambled to his feet and hurried to her, hoping she was okay. He lifted her head and laid it on his lap, trying to wake her, to ask her what to do. Her breathing was fast and uneven and a few bones in her body were broken.<br>She opened her eyes. 'Godric . . . You must stop her . . .' Every breath seemed to take a little bit more of her life away. 'Only you . . . You must try . . . Promise.' He nodded, feeling an unexpected sadness when the Elder blew out her last breath.

He stood up, wavering on his feet for a moment. His eyes found Ariana again, and he instantly knew what he had to do. 'Ariana!' He called out. He had to reach her.  
>The closer he got, the stronger the urge to run away became, and the stronger the wind became. He called her name again, knowing that he just had to get a little bit closer. He reached out for her hand, but when their skin made contact, her eyes snapped open, and directed her eyes to his. He startled but didn't let go of her hand. They were no longer the deep blue he loved. The white of her eyes had spread all over her eyes, like a spider had woven its web over her pupils. He had to focus on what he had to do.<br>'Ariana,' he whispered, but he knew his whisper would reach her. 'Ariana, stop this. Find yourself.' The wind grew stronger, and the urge to let go of her hand was almost irresistible.

Nothing he said seemed to make any difference. He had tried everything. A tear ran down his cheek.  
>Suddenly he noticed a change in the powers surrounding him. Ariana had seen his tear. It had distracted her. He suddenly knew what to do. He struggled to get up, cupping her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him, even though he knew she did not see anything right now. 'Ariana,' he whispered, 'Ariana, I love you! Don't go. Don't leave me. Please, come back. I love you.' Acting on an impulse, he leaned in and pressed his lips on hers in a rougher kiss than usual, but still passionate as always. Ariana's expression changed, and the white seemed to flow back where it was supposed to be. She fell to her knees, pulling Godric – who'd been holding her arms – down with her. Her eyes were blue again, large and tearful. 'Godric?' She whispered, carefully avoiding his gaze. The pain in her eyes made him cry in agony, tears of blood streaming down his cheeks. 'Yes sweetheart. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I'll stay. Forever. I'll never leave you.'<p>

'I wouldn't be so sure of that.' A harsh voice behind them said.


	4. Rising Sun

**Rising sun**

Godric turned around slowly, never letting go of Ariana, feeling she was too weak to stand up. The Elders of the village had surrounded them, holding the chains Godric had thrown off a few minutes ago.  
>'You did not think we would allow you to walk out of here, did you?' Godric opened his mouth to answer, but a loud voice from amongst the villagers interrupted him. 'Why not? He has proven to us, all of us, that he does care for Ariana. And we all know she is not the kind of person who does something on an impulse. She knows what she wants. We have taken her choice from her once, I don't think we have the right to do so again.' A tall, broad man with dark hair and bright eyes stepped forward. 'I speak in their defense. I too, believe they should be given the choice.' The Elders looked positively shocked. Godric tried not to smile. Humans were so stupid.<p>

Ariana struggled to her feet, her face still very white. 'I would do anything for our people. Anything. I have done so. I won't do it again. You've asked too much already. I'm not giving my life up again.' The villagers whispered, obviously stunned by her words. The man that had spoken for them frowned. 'What are you talking about?' She sighed, and Godric gripped her arms when she slipped away. 'William. Do you think I left him because I wanted to?' The muttering grew louder and louder until one of the Elders raised a hand. 'Perhaps you are right. Perhaps we have meddled your affairs, life, more than we should've. But you must know that everything we did was to protect you. From . . . Things like him.' Godric snarled. Ariana straightened up. 'Then name your punishment. But know this. If you sentence him to death only because I love him, I will eradicate the village. And this time, he won't stop me.' The woman nodded and turned to her fellow-Elders. 'Come, let us decide.'

At this precise moment, the first rays of sunlight appeared, shining over the treetops. Godric inhaled sharply as he felt his skin burn. Though he tried to hide so, Ariana spotted it immediately. 'Please,' she said, 'Whatever you decide, do it now. Godric doesn't have long until he'll burn.' The Elders exchanged a glance before the woman spoke again. 'You, vampire. Step forward.' Godric stepped forward, pain etched on his face. Smoke emerged from his shoulders, head and every other body part. 'We'll let you go. But you must swear never to return to these woods. For no reason whatsoever. When we see you here again, we will stake you, without further questioning.' He nodded. 'Ariana, our miracle. We do not wish to punish you, if only you were willing to give up the vampire. We've kept you here because you are the last one born with your powers. We've been keeping them from you because we did not want to spoil you.' 'What?' She whispered, stepping to Godric's side, her eyes large and unbelieving.

'You kept them from me? How dare you?' 'We only wanted to protect you. But now you leave us no choice. We banish you from our village for seven decades. In this time, you shall ponder the meaning and consequences of your actions and choices. You leave now. You must take the vampire with you. When you return to us, we shall welcome you back with open arms. Now leave. Don't come back.'  
>Godric moaned in pain, for the sun was scorching his skin off faster and faster. Ariana pulled him with her when she made her way through the crowd of villagers, out of the village, into the woods. 'Where do you hide for the day? Tell me where it is. I have to get you there.' He explained where she had to go and walked with her as fast as he could; his strength was rapidly fading away. The sun was lethal for any vampire, but for one of his age it was more dangerous, for he would burn faster.<p>

His skin was starting to get black in several places, and the pain became almost unbearable.  
>Suddenly, the pain peaked and his vision became blurrier and then black. And there was nothing.<p>

* * *

><p>I cursed when Godric stumbled and fell to the ground. The trees held the sunlight back a little bit, but it was still not enough. His skin was almost scorched off.<br>His eyes were closed and his breathing was so soft I could barely hear it. I could feel panic grow inside of me, like a large monster in the pit of my stomach. I swallowed and tried to wake Godric. He was not going to die because of me. 'Godric? Godric, wake up, please, we're almost there. I can't drag you there. Come on, Godric. Don't give up now.' Godric gave no sign of hearing me or wanting to move. Tears ran down my cheeks, as I tried to move him, but the illumination had weakened me so much that I couldn't drag him. I couldn't give up though. I was not losing Godric too.  
>I remembered something Godric told me. I knew what I had to do.<p>

'Eric!' I yelled, hoping we were close enough so he could hear me. 'Eric, get here! Godric needs you! Now! Please! Eric!' I looked around hoping to see the large Viking approaching.  
>But he wasn't there. I was still alone in the woods with my burning vampire. I had to help him, but I didn't know how. If only I had a house with an underground cellar, a room without windows.<br>Suddenly the solution sprang to my mind. Underground. I had to get him underground.  
>I looked around again. I was almost directly next to the river. When I was younger, a child, I had built a camp. Underground. No one but me knew where it was.<br>I searched the place where I stood, counting the trees. I ran to the seventh tree, counted seven steps to the middle of a circle and kneeled to open a hatch. Everything in the camp was exactly as I left it.

I ran back to Godric, kneeling beside him, trying to lift him again. When I couldn't, I kissed his now black cheek, whispering 'I'm so sorry,' and rolled him toward the hatch.  
>When I'd reached the hole, I gave Godric one more push, making him fall down at least 6 feet. I hurried down the improvised steps and closed the hatch, hoping Godric could heal from injuries like these.<br>I sighed, refusing to let exhaustion and desperation take me over. I rolled Godric on his back, hoping I could wake him up. 'Wake up' I whispered. 'Godric, wake up, you have to heal.'  
>I tried to wake him for several minutes, but unsuccessful. I leaned back against a wall and closed my eyes in desperation.<br>I'd seen him heal from injuries before, and it would've been done within minutes. Right now, it didn't look like he was even beginning to heal. I tried to think of what could possibly be the reason.  
>He had said all injuries, even burns, easily healed. I tried not to think of everything that had happened in the village. I had been banished. Everything I had, everything I knew. . . I had to leave everything behind. Because of the vampire laying before me. I swallowed my tears and leaned over him. Despite everything, I could not blame or hate him.<p>

I couldn't decide what to do. I hate to do something to make him heal faster. I tried to remember everything he had ever told me about vampires. They were sensitive to silver, wooden stakes and sunlight, needed to feed less when they became older, were very close to their Maker, and were strongest when they had just fed.  
><em>Strongest when they had just fed . . . That's it! <em>He had used a bit of his blood to heal the bite in my neck. Maybe he needed human blood to heal faster too. My blood. He hadn't fed for days.  
>I looked around, looking for something sharp, a knife or anything. My knife was still in my house, and I couldn't find my arrow points. My fingers hit something hard. A sharp stone. I had used it as a knife as a kid.<br>I picked it up, raised it to my arm and hesitated for a moment. I swallowed, pressed the stone to my arm, closed my eyes and pulled it down in a quick movement, slashing open the skin and the underlying veins. Blood gushed out of the wound, down my arm on the floor. I dropped the stone, my hands shaking. I wanted to clasp my arm, cry and yell in pain, but I didn't do anything of such sort.

I crawled back to Godric, holding my bleeding arm elevated. 'Godric? Baby, I know you need this. Please, drink. Come on.' My blood dripped on his lips, down his throat. He started moving, slowly and carefully, pulling my arm to his mouth. He started drinking more greedily, biting in my arm too.  
>I felt weaker than before and tried to pull Godric away. 'You have to stop. God. . . Godric, stop it. You're drinking too much.'<p>

Godric didn't stop, and I couldn't push him off. Breathing got harder and harder, and I had trouble keeping myself up. I hit Godric's arm, trying to snap him out of it, but nothing worked.  
>Suddenly, Godric – who seemed to heal super fast – sat up and threw me to the ground. I barely felt anything but cold, spreading from my fingertips and toes throughout the rest of my body.<br>I tried to speak, but somehow, even that wouldn't work. Slowly, it seemed like everything faded, even the pain when Godric sank his fangs in my neck.

Then, all was black.

* * *

><p>The first thing Godric remembered was the strange feeling of something hot dripping on his lips and face.<br>He licked his lips, surprised to find it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. Hungrily, he pulled the source of the liquid closer to his lips, greedily drinking it; desiring more with every gulp.

He felt a faint pressure on his arm, but he was too thirsty to stop. After a while the whispers and the pressure disappeared, leaving him free to drink the luscious fluid. When he felt full, he stopped, leaning back, feeling triumphant. He had survived the sun.  
>He looked around, somehow oblivious to his surroundings, and lay down again. He needed to rest.<p>

He dreamed strange. He and Ariana were in a blank area. Everything was white. Even Ariana's face extremely pale. 'Where are we?' He asked her, still looking around, his voice sounding really hollow. It took him some time to realize she didn't answer. She sat on the white floor, her clothes stained with dark blood. He kneeled before her, looking into her empty eyes.  
>'Ariana?' Only then did he see the bitemarks in her neck and on her arm. He fell back, horrified. It couldn't be. He had never drank from her.<br>His hand shaking, he brought it up to his mouth, feeling his fangs. Sticky hot fluid was all over his face. 'No,' he whispered. 'No. No. It can't be. No.' He looked down at his clothes, even more horrified to see he was covered in blood too. He crawled back to Ariana. 'Ariana, tell me it's not true. Tell me.' She looked up, directly into his eyes. She didn't have to say the words. He saw it in her eyes.

He woke with a start, breathing heavily. The dream. . . But he knew it couldn't be. Ariana was asleep right next to him. He looked to his right, crying in shock when he saw the Ariana from the dream lying next to him. Blood dripped from her neck and a cut in her arm. She was very, very pale.  
>He sat on his knees, shook Ariana's shoulders, trying to wake her. 'Ariana? Please, come on. Not now.'<br>Desperate, he cut open his wrist, wincing and pressing it to her lips. 'Come on. Drink. Please.'  
>Finally, after a few scary moments, she drank. It was a strange feeling to feel the blood flow out of his body instead of in. After a few more moments, she stopped drinking. She breathed in deeply and opened her eyes. When she saw him, she reacted only naturally. She winced and shrunk back. He leaned back quickly, his hand on her arm. 'Don't be scared. It's okay. I'm so sorry.' Her breathing slowed down and she straightened up. 'Why do I feel so weird?' He let go of her arm and leaned back to a wall. 'I gave you my blood. You needed it, I couldn't think of another way to help you on such short notice.'<p>

She snorted. 'You drank too much of my blood.' He groaned. 'I know. I had been warned. That's why I didn't drink your blood. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop.' She frowned. 'But you did drink it.' He shook his head. 'I didn't realize I was drinking your blood. I wouldn't have if I had known.' She sighed and leaned back. 'You scared me. . . I thought I was too late.' He grinned. 'You definitely repaid me with the same favor. How do you feel?' She shrugged. 'Shaken. Stronger. Strange.' He smiled. 'That's the vampire blood. Your senses and strength will increase for a while. It'll wear off. You might have, um, dreams about me. It'll be the blood.' 'Dreams? I already dream about you. It can't get any worse.' He smiled, pleased that she dreamed of him already. 'These are quite. . . sexual dreams.' She blushed. 'I have you in real life. Why would I need to dream about you?' His smile faded. 'I don't want to risk you again. What if I can't control myself?' She crawled to where he sat, leaning over him. Her hair tickled his nose. 'I don't really care. I want to be with you. You're all I have. You're all I need.' She leaned in, her lips brushing past his. 'I forgot to tell you while we were in the village. It's really important.' He frowned. 'What?' 'I love you too. Forever. Whenever you want me.' He smiled and pressed his lips on hers. His tongue grazed her upper lip and she moaned. He pushed her to the ground, tearing at her clothes. She wrapped her legs around his waist, whispering his name. When she took him in her, she moaned and whispered his name, over and over again, throwing words like 'I love you' and 'stay with me' between the moans. 'Oh, Godric. I love you,' she whispered, when he kissed her neck. 'I love you . . .'

Hours later, they lay in each other's arms, sweating and panting. Ariana looked up at Godric and smiled. 'I love fighting with you.' He frowned and asked, 'What do you mean?' She smiled guiltily and threw her leg over his waist, positioning herself on his lap. His hands rested on her hips. She pressed her lips on hers shortly before answering, 'I can't deny, the breaking up isn't too pleasant, but the making up is great.' He smiled. 'Can't disagree.' He kissed her again, longer and more passionate. 'What are we going to do now? I don't want to leave you, but I need to teach Eric too.' Her smile faded just a little bit. 'I get it if you have to leave; I don't want to keep you from your progedy.' He sighed. 'I'll find a way. I don't want to leave you any more than you do me.' She lay her head on his chest and closed her eyes. He pressed a kiss on her hair and held her close to him.

'I'll find a way. As sure as the sun will rise.'

* * *

><p><strong>So, here's my fourth chapter. I hope you guys like what I'm doing, 'cause this is what I think Godric should've had in life.<br>Please review, perhaps give me some new ideas. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	5. War

**War**

**Many centuries later  
>1938<strong>

The house is richly decorated. The sofa was piled with several thick, soft pillows, tapestries adorned the walls and carpet covered the floors. Godric looked around, feeling uncomfortable in this all too comfortable room. He was glad he only had to visit.  
>Ariana held his hand, her wedding ring shining on her left hand. Her dress reached her knee, complementing her figure and curves. He smiled at her and pulled her towards a sofa when their host gestured to sit down. 'I really don't like this place.' She smiled at him and whispered, 'One should never judge one on their appearance. All has its purpose, even though we might not know it.' He grimaced and replied, 'I hate it when you use my words against me.' She grinned; 'That's why I love it.'<p>

'So,' their host, a tall man dressed in black, said, 'you requested a meeting with me. I trust this is for a very good reason, mister Suvallos. I know you to be a very reliable man.' Godric inclined his head and glanced at Ariana, who was unusually quiet and pale. His heart ached, but he was doing what he thought necessary. War was closing in on Europe, and all hell was about to break loose. He was not letting Ariana stay in this mess, not if he could help it. She had protested, shouted, threatened to leave him – which was what he wanted, if it kept her safe – and refused to talk to him or Eric for days. Not talking to Eric was quite normal – they hated each other – but he could not stand it when she wouldn't talk to him. After a lot of persuading, she had agreed to go to their house in America, Dallas. She'd made it very clear that she was only going because Godric had begged her to do so for months.

'I wish for my wife to travel to our home in America, but I do not wish for her to take just any ship. I want her to be escorted, and, of course, I am more than willing to pay extra. Anything for her safety.' Ariana looked down at their hands when he called her his wife and could not stop a smile from appearing on her lips. The man in the black suit raveled on about some ship of his and a very reliable crew who would escort the lady right to the porch of her home. Godric, however, only had eyes for Ariana. No matter how long they had been together already, he never stopped admiring her beauty, wondering what he did to deserve her. He still believed he was not worthy of her, but of course, she wouldn't let him think otherwise.  
>Throughout the years, they had to put up with a lot of gritting teeth, dirty looks and comments from other vampires, who just didn't understand why he loved her. They called him indiscrete, careless even.<br>He could not care less. All that bothered him was the fact that Eric and Ariana didn't get along at all. If he weren't there to stop them, they probably would've ripped each other's throat out a long time ago.

Godric had travelled the world with the pair of them, sometimes staying in one place, mostly moving around though. They had lived in London for several years before people became suspicious and they had to leave. Now, in a small little country called Belgium, they had found a rather cozy home for the three of them, and the people were very kind to them, though most kept to themselves.  
>But, with war standing on Europe's threshold, he had to decide. He had been given a serious task, and it was absolutely vital he focused on that and that only. If Ariana were to remain with them, he would still think of her, something he could not permit. He had not told her this. She only knew he wanted her to leave Europe, for her own safety.<br>Godric turned his attention back to the man, who was still babbling on, oblivious to the fact that neither of his clients was listening or paying any attention to him.

'– miss Suvallos shall be treated with the upmost respect, and shall be perfectly safe while in the company of my men. Even if there were to be problems, they would be solved before they even reached the ear of your lovely wife.' Godric tried to suppress a grin, but only half-succeeded. Ariana knew perfectly well how to take care of herself, and could kill a man by just raising a hand. Her powers had only increased since the day they had left the village. At first, it had scared her, but he had somehow convinced her there was nothing to be afraid of. Being a man of few words, their communication was mostly unspoken. Secret smiles, exchanged glances, kisses stolen in the moonlight. He had never thought he would be a hopeless romantic, but whenever she was near him, she woke a part of him that had not been there for a very long time.

He sighed, nodded at the man and turned to Ariana. 'What do you think?' She forced a smile on her lips and said, 'Sounds perfectly fine. I can't wait.' He wasn't sure if he was imagining the sarcasm in her voice, but he could believe she'd be really pissed off when he took her home. He turned to the man again, while rummaging in his pocket, looking for his checkbook. 'I think we have a deal.'

* * *

><p>When they drove home, Ariana looked out of the window, still uncharacteristically silent. Eventually, they reached their house, a small cottage in the middle of the fields. Before Ariana had the time to move, he had flitted to the other side of the car to help her out.<br>She tried to look annoyed, but her smile kind of ruined the picture. 'I hate it when you do things like that,' she said. He tried to look innocent. 'Things like what?' She rolled her eyes. 'You know what I mean.' She stopped halfway down the lawn and he almost bumped into her. Her back still turned to him, she said, 'I don't want to leave. I can't believe you're making me leave.' He heard the tears in her voice and didn't know how to answer her.  
>After a long silence, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close.<p>

He didn't have to say anything. She felt he didn't want her to go either. She turned around, his arms still around her, and cupped his face. She leaned closer, kissed him shortly before whispering, 'I don't like it. I'll go, but only because you want me to.' She wrestled her way out of his arms and entered the house. He heard Eric mutter and her answer. When something fell on the floor and their voices became louder, he decided it might be best to interfere, before they really killed each other.

* * *

><p>Godric turned down the sound of the radio. 'So it has begun,' Eric said. Ariana sat cross-legged on the sofa, her book forgotten in her lap. 'It was only a matter of time,' she said. For once, Eric agreed.<br>'Good thing you're leaving tomorrow. Not a day too soon.' She threw a pillow at his head.  
>Her suitcase was by the door.<br>She stretched and got up from the sofa. Walking over to Godric, she pulled him through the room by his hand. 'If this is my last night, I want to enjoy every bit of it.' Eric made vomiting sounds, but Godric threw him an angry look.

He followed her into the bedroom, where - still kissing - she pushed him onto the bed. But, though she longed for him and he longed for her, that's as far as they went that night. All Godric did was hold her, neither of them speaking, unwilling to ruin the last moment of peace. Godric knew she was waiting for him to say what bothered him. She could feel it. It had always been that way. When either of them was bothered with something, the other would know instantly. At first, Godric had thought it was his blood that gave them this level of connection, but after more then 9 centuries, it had worn off.  
>He wanted to ask her. He needed to. But he knew she would react strongly to the suggestion.<p>

'If I offered you my blood again, would you take it?' He said. He felt Ariana stiffen in his arms before she turned around and looked him in the eyes. 'No. No, I wouldn't.' He sighed. 'I love you, Godric. You know that. There's no reason why you should feel it too.' He studied the way their fingers were entwined and the shimmering of the rings at their fingers. A tiny little circle of gold could throw enormous shadows on the walls. 'I'd be able to feel when you needed me. I'd be able to protect you.'  
>She pressed a kiss on his hand. 'Even you could not swim across the Atlantic whenever I needed you.. It would only distract you. Endanger you.' He shook his head; 'I'm just afraid of losing you.' 'To another man? Or to the war?' Once again, she had put her finger on the sour spot. He trusted her with his life, but he knew humans were easy targets when it came to lust and love.<p>

She sat up and forced him to look at her. 'Godric, I have you. Why do you even think that another man could even attract my attention after you? You're all I want. All I'll ever want.' A smile flashed over his features before he became grim again. 'I still think you should take it.' She shook her head. 'Would you force me?' 'No, of course not.' 'Then stop asking. I'm not taking it.'  
>He ran a finger over her jaw and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. 'You have before.' She frowned. 'I was unconcious. I didn't know what I was doing.' When he continued to look cross, she asked, 'If I offered you <em>my <em>blood, would you take it?' He stared at her. 'That's not fair. You know why I don't drink your blood.' She smiled. 'It's the same. You're afraid of drinking too much again.' He nodded. 'How would I ever forgive myself if I drank from you again, bringing you to the edge of death, while I knew that would happen?' 'Exactly. If I drank your blood, and if something were to happen to me, in broad daylight. . . How would I forgive myself if this time, you really burned?' He had no answer.

* * *

><p>The next day, just after sundown, Godric and Ariana stood at the prow of the ship that would take her to America. The crew had withdrawn themselves to the other side of the ship, tending to give them privacy for a proper goodbye. Eric was hunting.<br>He had surprised both Godric and Ariana by hugging her tightly and telling her he'd miss their fights.  
>Now, Ariana refused to look at Godric. He knew this was because she couldn't keep herself together when he left, but he had to make her look, one last time before the ship would set sail for America.<br>'Σ 'αγαπώ,' he whispered in Greek. 'I love you.' Slowly, her eyes met his, and he was not surprised to see her tears, though it did make him feel sad. 'Eu tamén te amo,' she whispered in Gaulic. 'I love you too.' He kissed her, surprising both of them how fierce and passionate the kiss was. It was a kiss given when saying goodbye forever, not for a little while.

After their barely spoken goodbye, Godric turned and left the ship. Ariana remained by the railing, her eyes never leaving his. The ship began to move, slowly, and made its way out of port; carrying the love of Godric's life, and his heart. He swallowed back the tears that burned in his eyes.  
>He had a job to do. When the ship had disappeared from view, he turned around and left the harbor, never once looking back.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Okay everyone, I made a huge leap in time, because I feared the story would get too long. Now it is up to your own imagination to fill the gap I left.<br>I hope you can live with that, and even when you can't, that's really your problem.**

**The situation in this chapter is as follows: the year is 1938 and Germany has just invaded Poland, the actual start of WWII. Godric and Eric are assigned to find out anything they can about operation werewolf. Godric knows things are very dangerous and sends Ariana away from his side to keep her safe. **

**What will happen next, you ask? Well, you'll have to wait for my next update. xD**

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**


	6. The Blood Is Sacred

**The Blood Is Sacred**

**AUSBURG, GERMANY - 1945**

The house was dimly lit, but there was enough to see the two bodies on the dirty floor.  
>'It's here, Godric,' Eric whispered, 'I feel it.' 'Wait!' Godric ordered when the squeaking door opened. A young American soldier looked inside, bayonet raised, ready to use it. He snuck inside, looking around carefully, feeling the dead woman's pulse. Something fell on the ground and startled the soldier, who raised his bayonet immediately.<br>He approached the closet from where the sound had emerged; opening the door with his bayonet, he saw a naked woman crouched on the ground, pressing herself to the wall. 'Helfen sie mir, bitte helfen sie mir,' she said. Godric snorted, but the sound went unnoticed by the soldier.

The boy lowered his bayonet, raised a hand, trying not to scare her and said, 'It's going to be alright.' He put his bayonet against the wall and took off his coat. 'I won't hurt you,' he said. While he was taking off his coat, the girl snarled and jumped out of the closet, phasing into a werewolf as she did.  
>Though the soldier struggled and hit the wolf, she had soon killed him.<br>'Come,' Godric said to Eric and they jumped down from the ceiling, fangs out. Eric snarled to the wolf, stepping forward immediately, while Godric snatched the bayonet from its place against the wall, pinning the girl to the wall before she could jump Eric.

She screamed and yelled, 'We're on the same side, you idiots!' Eric approached her while she struggled to get off, his knife raised. He lifted her long hair with the knife, seeing the mark that had been branded there. 'Nein,' he said, 'wir sind nicht gleich.' Godric stood back and eyed the event unfolding before him carefully. Eric planted the knife in her other arm, causing her to scream in agony. 'Who is your master?' Eric asked, burying the knife deeper into her arm, ignoring her screams. When he asked her a second time, she looked at Eric and said, 'Give me your blood and I'll tell you.' Godric was repulsed by the idea. 'Eric, the blood is sacred,' he said. Eric, however, bit his arm and fed the girl his blood. Godric watched but did not intervene.  
>After a few seconds, Eric pulled his arm away from the girl's greedy lips and asked, 'Who is your master?' again. The girl smiled madly, blood dripping from her lips and said, 'He is one of you.'<p>

Eric was stunned, as was Godric. The girl used this advantage, helped by the vampire blood, pulled herself loose and threw Eric on the floor. She grabbed one of the knifes and raised it high, planning to stake Eric.  
>Before she could, Godric flitted there and snapped her neck. He dropped her body to the floor and looked at Eric. 'A vampire is never at the mercy of his emotions,' he said, 'he dominates them.' Eric said nothing and stood up, looking at the dead girl. 'We will find him,' Godric said. 'Patience.' Eric looked at him and slowly nodded.<p>

'Come,' Godric said when they heard more noises outside. Eric followed him outside and back to the encampment. No one wondered where they had been. The Americans had overrun the town, and they had just received the message that several great German cities had been taken too. Whispers amongst the men were that the war was lost, and that they were actually pleased about it.  
>An hour before sunrise, Eric and Godric snuck out of the camp, to their resting place for the day. Eric was still very quiet. Godric wondered if he had been to harsh, but then knew he had never treated Eric any different. As they lay to rest, Eric turned to Godric and said, 'I'm leaving. I should start my own life. Be a Maker. You heard them. The war is over. There is nothing left in Europe to fight for.' Godric stared at Eric. He had been with him for almost a thousand years. At last, he nodded. 'Perhaps you are right.' Eric nodded too and lay down. Godric did so too, but had trouble finding sleep.<p>

If Eric was gone, he would have nothing. He would have to create another vampire. A little voice in his head whispered that he could look for Ariana, but he threw that idea overboard almost immediately.  
>Even thinking of asking her forgiveness was painful. Of course, he deserved nothing more.<br>He shook those thoughts off and closed his eyes, eventually drifting off in a dream-haunted sleep.

_He stood in the front yard of their house, looking through the window. Ariana sat in the library, reading a letter. Probably the last he had sent her. She looked healthy and happy, and that was what he had come here for, was it not? To see if she was okay, if she could manage.  
>Yet now he saw her, there was something urging him to walk to the front door and ring the bell.<br>Perhaps it was the tears rolling down her cheeks as she read his words, or the red of her lips. _

_As if in a haze, he walked to the door and rung the bell. He heard Ariana's chair scrape over the floor as she got up to open the door. She opened a small door to see who was calling at this time of night, but seemed to be stunned in shock. After a few seconds she opened the door completely and stared at him. The tears on her cheeks were already dry and replaced by new ones.  
>'Godric . . .' She whispered, as if she couldn't believe her eyes. He smiled at the sound of her voice.<br>After standing frozen in the door, she moved so suddenly, even he was surprised. She threw her arms around him and hugged him closely. He smiled and inhaled her scent, wrapping his arms around her waist. Was he imagining it or had she lost a lot of weight? _

_She leaned back, examining his face. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned away. 'Come in first, Godric. I don't want to have to explain to everyone why I was kissing a stranger in my front yard.' He frowned, but did not say anything. People knew them. Knew him.  
>He followed her inside. 'I was reading your letter,' she said. 'You really infiltrated the SS?' He nodded.<br>'How's Eric?' she asked. It seemed like an odd question coming from her.  
>'He's fine,' he finally said, and she seemed to relax. 'Why are you asking?' She seemed uncomfortable.<br>'I missed him. Not as much as I missed you, but I miss someone to fight with.' Somehow, the answer did not seem sufficient. _

_He sat down on the sofa while she rummaged in the cupboard to clean up the mess she had made.  
>When she sat down next to him, the attraction he felt was almost unbearable. She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him. When her lips touched his, for a moment, it was like nothing had changed. Like the past seven years had not happened. But when his hands ran down her body, it did feel different. She was definately skinnier. Unhealthily skinny. He pushed her up, examining her face. It seemed different. Older. That didn't make any sense. She was immortal. From the age of sixteen, she only aged a year or two per thousand years. In the seven years they had been apart, she seemed to have aged several years. Too many years. <em>

_She smiled at him when the door opened and Eric came in, wearing no more then his trousers. Ariana smiled at him and left Godric were he was, shirtless on the sofa, to kiss Eric.  
>When she kissed him, Godric stared at the pair of them, stunned in absolute disbelief. 'What the hell?' He asked, sitting up. Eric and Ariana ignored him, caught in their joy. Eric's fangs popped out, and before Godric could do more than jump up, sunk them in Ariana's neck.<em>

He shot up, hitting his head on the low ceiling, and fell on his back. He rubbed his head, angrily swearing. Neither Eric, nor Ariana would ever do such a thing to him, he knew that. So why was he afraid of it happening? On their last meeting, Ariana had sworn to stake him if he ever bothered her again. He had deserved it.  
>In a desperate attempt to keep her safe, away from him, he had followed her to America, four years later, in 1942. He had told her he had found another girl, in Germany, and that he wished to remain with her rather than Ariana.<br>She hadn't believed him. She had refused to believe him for so long, he had almost given up. Almost told her the truth.

The pain he had seen in her eyes was similar to the pain he felt. Like a part of him had been torn away. She had turned away from him and told him to leave. When he wanted to apologize, even though there was hardly anything to apologize for, she had yelled to leave before she would do something she'd regret. When he had touched her arm, she had released her power and thrown him back so far he could hardly see her anymore. He had whispered he was sorry, and that he loved her.  
>He had seen her fall to her knees and cry like a child. Doing what he wished to do so much. But he was a vampire. Vampires did not carry on liasons with humans. Shouldn't.<br>She would be safe from his enemies now. There was no reason for them to send someone after her.  
>At least, that was what he told himself to get some peaceful sleep at night.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>DALLAS, TEXAS, USA - 1945<strong>

I turned around in my warm bed, unable to catch sleep. These days, sleep was hard to come by in any way. I sat up and turned on the light. The clock on the wall showed five AM. I was not going to fall asleep anymore, so there was no point in staying in bed either.  
>I got up, pulled my dressing gown over my pyjama's and walked through the living room to the library. The shelves were packed with hundreds of books and dust, carrying the weight of the world's history, the poems of love and hatred, stories of ancient times and the words of a thousand authors.<p>

But I did not come here to read. I came here because it had been Godric's favorite room in the house.  
>When I was here, sometimes, it felt like he wasn't so far away anymore.<br>Like he was here with me, instead of with some German girl, who could not possibly love him the way I did. I was sorry of the things I had said and done on our last meeting. Using my powers on him had been something I regretted most.

I had heard the Americans had had succes in their missions in Germany. I hoped this meant The war was almost over and that I could find a way to apologize to him. Find a way to win him back, even if it meant I had to offer him my blood.  
>I looked at the neat pile of letters on my desk, each one written by Godric before he had turned up to tell me he had found another to satisfy his needs.<p>

I wiped away a tear. 'I love you, Godric. No matter what I said. I love you.'

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><p><strong>Hope you liked this chapter. It's a little different than I had first anticipated, but I am quite pleased about the result.<br>Please review. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Ill

**Ill**

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA – 1946 **

A year had passed since the war had been won, and yet I had found no trace of Godric. Eric had found me, but he and Godric had parted ways, as he had said and he had not seen him since.  
>Eric had changed during the war. Grown up a bit, I think. He was nicer than he had been before, and seemed honestly concerned when he asked how I had been. After a short stay of two days, he had moved on to Louisiana.<p>

After he had left, I started feeling a little bit ill. I didn't think much of it. I didn't get sick. Ever.  
>But a few days later, I felt so nauseated, I had to leave my breakfast to run to the bathroom. I only just made it and threw up noisily in the toilet. When I had brushed my teeth a dozen times, I looked in the mirror, startled by how horrible I looked. My face was pale-white, a grayish hint to it, dark shades lay under my eyes and my hair was dull. I looked sick.<br>I wondered what I should do. I had never been sick before, and I couldn't just walk up to a doctor. Being immortal, I was sure a doctor would notice the difference in bloodtype. Though I had AB negative, such as all immortals from my family, there were anomalies in my blood that no human could overlook.

Before I could think of a solution though, I felt another wave of nausea wash over me and I threw up again. I had never felt so horrible before.  
>When I was sure I would throw up again, I dragged myself to the kitchen, filled a large glass of water and located a large bucket under the sink. I slowly walked to my bedroom, still wondering what to do. As I pulled the blankets over my head, I still hadn't decided what to do.<br>I fell in a dream-haunted sleep, haunted by nightmares and waves of nausea. By the afternoon, I felt so horrible, I couldn't think of anything better to do than call Eric.

He picked up after the phone had rung only twice. 'Eric Northman,' he said. 'Eric,' I said, surprised by how hoarse my voice was. 'Ariana?' his tone changed immediately. He seemed worried.  
>'Have you heard from Godric?' He asked. I shook my head and then remembered he couldn't see me. 'No, no I haven't, but I need your help.' 'What is it?' He asked.<br>'I think I am really sick, Eric. I don't know what to do. I can't go to a doctor. Tell me what to do. I've never been sick before.' The other side of the line was still for a moment. 'I'm coming there now,' he eventually said. 'Maybe there's something I can do. I'll be there tonight. D'you think you'll last that long?' I coughed and made a face when I tasted vomit in my mouth. 'Okay,' I said, 'And Eric?' 'Yes?' 'Thank you. Please hurry.'  
>I hung up and returned to my bed. Eric was invited in, and if he wanted to get in, he could; I should try to sleep some more.<p>

* * *

><p>I woke up feeling cold fingers on my cheek. Eric's face was inches from mine, a worried look in his eyes. 'You're burning up. How do you feel?' I swallowed and sat up, Eric helping me. 'I have felt better,' I said. He smiled. 'I can see that. You look like you're about to drop dead.' I grinned. 'I am not in the mood for fighting, Eric,' I said, before reaching for the bucket and throwing up. Eric held my hair back and patted my back. 'That I can see too. I didn't come to fight. I came to help you.'<br>He helped me sit up and wiped the cold sweat off my forehead. 'I wonder why Godric isn't here with you, instead of me,' he said, more to himself than to me. 'He must've felt something . .' I shook my head. 'I didn't take his blood. He doesn't sense my emotions.'

Eric looked at me for a second, a curious expression on his face. I frowned. 'And anyway, he's probably busy with his German girlfriend.' Eric stared at me. 'German girlfriend? He refused to even look at other women. He only drank from men, feeling it would be less of a betrayal to you. He never had a German girlfriend. He never had any girlfriend.' I frowned. 'But he told me . . . He said . . .' But I never finished the sentence as I threw up in the bucket. 'Okay,' Eric said, and gently put his hands on my shoulders, keeping me down. 'I'll find Godric for you, but you have to stay in bed until I've found a doctor we can trust.'

'But,' I started, but Eric lay a finger on my lips. 'No talking. You're sick. Sleep.'  
>So there was nothing more I could do than sleep, Eric sitting by my bed, watching over me.<p>

* * *

><p>Eric examined Ariana's waxy features. In the two days he had been here, she had deteriorated so fast he could barely keep track. After he had promised her to find Godric, she had fallen in a restless sleep.<br>He had looked and called him, but he never answered. Now he sat by Ariana's bed, holding her hand, wishing Godric would be here instead of him. There was nothing right about this situation. Ariana didn't get ill. Ever. And yet, now she was, and it looked like she wouldn't live through it. She had told him that, though being immortal, she could die of illnesses. At dusk, she had thrown up blood for the first time.  
>He had found a nurse he could trust who took care of her during the day, but he had not yet found a doctor. Yet, there was little doubt to her illness. It looked, it sounded like tuberculoses.<p>

Somehow, the thought of her death frightened him. Though he had never really liked her, he had grown fond of her. How could he not? He had spent nine centuries with her, and despite everything, he had to admit she was likable. Mostly he had not liked her because of the influence she had on Godric. Whenever he was with her, he turned into a lust-driven teenager instead of the warrior he was. He knew she didn't do it on purpose, but it annoyed him. But after the war, he realized how much he had missed her company. Her presence was a nice change of company.

And now she was so ill she looked like she was dying. He could not help but feel like she had the wrong vampire sitting by her bed, holding her hand. It should be Godric sitting here, fearing the outcome of the disease. Pam was still in Louisiana, completely oblivious to why he had returned to Dallas in such a hurry.  
>Someone rang the bell. Eric did not move. The nurse would get it.<br>He continued to ponder on the meaning of all this when he heard a familiar voice. 'I wish to see her now.' The nurse answered in a soft voice, 'Please young man, keep your voice down. The lady is asleep and I could not possibly allow you to enter if you do not tell me who you are.' Eric got up and flitted to the hall as fast as he could. He pushed the nurse aside softly and stared at the young man standing on the porch.  
>Finally, he found his voice again and said, 'Well, that took you long enough.'<p>

Godric's face was white and his expression haunted. 'What are you doing here?' Eric stepped aside and allowed Godric to enter. 'When she couldn't find you, she called me. What was she to do? She couldn't ask just anyone for help.' Godric proceeded to the bedroom, but Eric jumped in front of the door.  
>'I don't want you to wake her. She hasn't slept properly in days. She needs this. Why weren't you here before?' Godric sighed. 'I tried to stay away from her. I couldn't. Then I heard your call. How could I ignore that?' For the first time, Eric caught a glimpse of what Godric would be like without Ariana. A small, broken man. Someone with nothing left to live for. 'She looks horrible, Godric. Prepare for that. She looks like she's already dead.' Godric gazed at him with scrutinizing intensity. 'Already dead? You speak of it as if it were inevitable.' Eric didn't say anything. His silence seemed to confirm the worst to Godric.<p>

'Let me in.' His voice sounded hollow, dead. Slowly, Eric turned around, opening the door. Ariana was still vast asleep, her chest rising and falling slowly and barely visible. He heard Godric breathe in sharply behind him. He closed the door again, watching Godric as he slowly approached the bed.  
>'Have you tried to give her the blood?' Godric whispered. Eric shook his head. 'No, she wouldn't hear of it. You'd think I was suggesting to kill her.' Godric walked to the chair next to the bed and sat down on it. He took Ariana's hand and pressed his lips against it. Then he muttered something in Greek.<br>Eric had never bothered learning to speak it, and therefore did not know what Godric said. 'I'll give you a moment,' Eric finally whispered and backed out of the room. 'Eric,' Godric said. Eric looked up. 'Thank you. For taking care of her when I didn't.'  
>Eric nodded uncomfortably and closed the door.<p>

* * *

><p>Godric held Ariana's hand tightly, as if it were a valuable treasure. Of course, that was what she was to him. Only now, when he was about to lose her, did he realize how much he needed her. She was the better part of him. Losing her would be like . . . Like losing himself. Losing every reason for his existence.<br>He had once taught Eric, there is nothing. Only survival . . Or death. But now he was so close to the second option, he fully realized what he had done. Not only to Ariana and himself, but to the world. All the lives he had taken, just for sport. Just because he could.

Now, it seemed fate was repaying him equally, by taking what he held most dear. Ariana did look like she stood on the brink of death. She would say that everything would be alright. That she wasn't afraid of dying. That her life had been long enough. Meaningless words. Things he did not care for, for what mattered when he didn't have Ariana to share it with?

He could give her his blood. It would help her heal to a certain extent. It would help her get to a point where she could conquer the disease on her own. But she would never forgive him if he did.  
>Yet that seemed like a small price to pay if it kept her alive. He would have to tell Eric.<br>Eric . . . When he had seen Eric at the door, for a moment he had feared his nightmare had become the truth. But when Eric had looked so relieved to see him, he knew he was being a fool. Ariana did not love Eric. She would never. She had called upon Eric because she had nowhere else to turn.

He pressed another kiss on her hand, whispered that he loved her and asked the nurse to look after her while he talked to Eric. He breathed in deeply and entered the kitchen where Eric leaned against the sink. 'You want to give her your blood, don't you?' Eric eyed him carefully. 'It's the only thing I can think of to help her.' Eric shook his head. 'She'll hate you for it.' Godric smiled sadly. 'I don't care. I need her to live. That's all that matters.'

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><p><strong>I hope you guys can still keep up with the story.<br>I haven't decided what to do next, so the next upload may take a little while. **

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Past Tense

**Past Tense**

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA – 1946**

I felt better; but I was not yet healed completely. The nurse had told me there was an epidemic of the same disease all over the country. At least now I knew where I got it. Eric thought I had no idea of what had happened.  
>Despite my constant assurance that I was fine now, Eric refused to leave before I was completely healthy again. He ordered me to stay in bed and let the nurse take care of me. He honestly surprised me with how caring he was. It was a side of him I would never have held possible.<br>I knew Godric had been here. I had dreamed of him. I had felt his kisses on my skin, his whispers in Greek.  
>I wanted to confront Eric with what they had done, but there was something oddly comforting about Godric's visit. Somehow, I managed to twist and turn it in a way to make me feel like he still loved me.<p>

I pulled my sheets higher over my head and closed my eyes. There was another reason why I was sure Godric had been here. I had dreams. Dreams I hadn't had since I had drank his blood.  
>The door opened and Eric entered the room, carrying a large tray with fruit and bread. I snorted.<br>'How do you feel?' He asked. 'Good. Too good.'  
>Eric put the tray down and examined my expression. 'What?' He said eventually.<br>'He was here, wasn't he? He gave me his blood and left.' Eric shook his head. 'You weren't asleep, were you?' I smiled. 'Yes, I was. But I dreamed of him. Good dreams. I have not had those since I last took his blood. I could feel him. I heard him, whisper . . .' I swallowed my tears.

'Why did he go?' Eric sat down and sighed. 'You'd hate him. He forced you to take it.' I laughed. 'How could I hate him? I can't hate him. Don't you think I tried all that? Whatever he did, how could I not forgive him?'  
>Eric didn't answer and handed me an apple. I smirked. 'What's with the apples? All you've been doing is feeding me apples.' For the first time in days, a smile broke through his carefully built façade and lit up his face. 'It's helping you recover. Or so the nurse says.' I frowned and took a bite of the apple. 'She still here?' He nodded. 'I feel much better; I'll be fine. You can go back now.' Eric smiled wryly. 'He'd kill me if I left you too soon.' I threw the apple at his head and pulled the sheets over my head.<br>'Night, Ariana,' Eric said, before I heard the door close when he left the room. 'Night Eric,' I whispered.  
>I stroked the woven bracelet with blue gemstones I had found when I had woken up two days ago and pressed a kiss on it. 'Goodnight Godric. . .'<p>

* * *

><p>Another week passed and I healed further, actually moving around the house.<br>Eric finally seemed convinced that I would be fine, though now I felt like the aftermath of the disease would last forever. I convinced him first to ditch the nurse, however nice she was and then convinced him to go back to Louisiana and Pam. She was still a very young vampire and needed his guidance.  
>When I had finally got all of them out of my house, I withdrew into the library, something I did more often these days. I had found no more evidence of Godric's visit except for my sudden healing and the bracelet, but I was sure he had been here.<p>

I spent days trying to figure out how I really felt about him right now. I was unbelievably mad at him for lying to me, even though it was with my well-being at heart.  
>Then there was the question of feeding me his blood when I had specifically said I didn't want to. I tried to hate him, like he had said I would. But no matter how hard I tried, I didn't get past the point of 'really pissed off'. I knew that, the next time I'd see him, or even before that, I would forgive him for everything he had done. I loved him more than I hated him, and I would do so forever.<p>

I told myself that I would do better to forget Godric. I kept every feeling, every thought, every memory regarding Godric locked in a vault in my head. When I did think or talk of him, I spoke in the past tense. The best I could though, because I could keep the dreams away. Dreams the blood caused.  
>But I managed. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months and months to years, and I was fine. I had moved on.<p>

At least, that's what I told myself to get some sleep at night.

* * *

><p><strong>This was a very short chapter - like a 'between Chapter'. I'm working on the next chapter, which is going to be considerably longer than this one.<br>I hope you like it. I don't think you'll have to wait long for the next upload. **

**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	9. If I Die Young

**If I Die Young**

**LONDON, ENGLAND - 1958**

The lights in the club dimmed as the singer and her band walked on stage. The muttering and whispering of the crowd seized as they were all held by the singer's beauty.  
>She walked straight, with confidence in her steps. She wore a black jeans with a plain black T-shirt, her hair streaming down her back like a luscious waterfall. She stepped up to the microphone while her bandmates got ready. She smiled at the crowd and waved.<br>This simple gesture was answered with a lot of yelling and cheering. 'Goodnight Mooners!' She shouted, riling up the crowd. She grinned. 'Okay, tonight, we'll start with something a little bit different. We'll get real loud after this one, but we got a special request, from one of you!' More cheering greeted her words. 'Someone asked us to sing a little song called 'If I die young'. Now I hope you guys like it, so, let me hear your voices and see your hands, because here we go!' cheering and screaming, clapping and marriage proposals were shouted when she turned around to the band to sign the start.

The band played the intro, and it became clear soon why the crowd loved their singer. She got her microphone, proceeded to the edge of the stage and sat down, shaking hands with the people on the first row. When she started singing, every other sound in the club seemed to dim. Everyone was listening, their attention drawn.

_If I die young, bury me in sand  
>Lay me down on a bed of roses<br>Sink in me in the river, at dawn  
>Send me away with the words of a love song<em>

Godric smiled sadly, his eyes never leaving Ariana, who was now singing while pacing around on the stage, completely oblivious to the crowd. She and the guitarist moved over the stage together smoothly, almost natural. He saw the secret smiles and twinkling eyes when their eyes met, but though it enraged him beyond anything he had ever seen, he contained himself. He had been gone for a very long time.  
>She was allowed to move on, as he had told her to. He just hoped he wouldn't have to be there to see it.<p>

_There's a boy here in town,  
>Says he'll love me forever<br>Who would've thought forever could be severed by  
>The sharp knife of a short life, oh well<br>I've had just enough time_

He frowned when Ariana's hand stroked the young man's face, as she had once done his, a smile lighting up her entire face. He closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe in and out slowly. _She's not mine anymore,_ he told himself, over and over again. Ariana still did not know he was in the club, and luckily she didn't.  
>She would've blasted him out. He forced himself to listen to her words again. He kept marveling over her singing. How was it that, in all the years they had spent together, he had never even known she could sing?<p>

_What I never did is done  
>A penny for my thoughts<br>Oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar  
>They're worth so much more after I'm a goner<br>And maybe then you'll hear  
>The words I've been singing<br>Funny when you're dead  
>How people start listening <em>

The music slowed and Ariana didn't sing for a few moments. The crowd slowly started cheering, like a jumbo-jet starting up. When Ariana started singing again, with more power than before the crowd cheered and she even got a few people to sing along.  
>As she ended the song, a loud applause greeted her last words and the last notes. She smiled and bowed to the crowd, thanking them and telling them she'd be back after a short ten-minute break.<br>She left the stage, laughing and chatting with the dark-haired guitarist. He felt another pang of jealousy.  
>He only came to the club to see if she was okay, but he wasn't sure if he could stay away from her now he had seen her. Seeing her had aroused the feeling of missing her. It was more painful than it had been in years.<p>

He got up, leaving his cocktail untouched. He followed Ariana and her band as they moved to the back of the bar. After they had chatted for a bit, the band returned to the stage to set up.  
>He knew this was the only chance he'd get to talk to her. He swallowed and approached her.<br>He reached out a hand to her shoulder, bracing himself for anything when she would turn around.

'Ariana,' he said, when she turned.

* * *

><p>Everything seemed to dim around me. The lights, people, even the music. Time itself seem to pause and drag out the moment to prolong the spring of warmth that bloomed in my heart. Perhaps this was what Snow White must have felt when she woke up after Prince Charming's kiss, I thought.<p>

For standing behind me was a young man, pale and handsome. He seemed indifferent, unobservant to the crowd and onlookers who noticed him. But when he caught my eye at last, his expression profoundly changed. A smile graced his lips and reached his wonderfully piercing eyes. My mouth fell open, and however I tried, I could not remember how to close it.  
>'Godric. . .' I whispered, not knowing what else there was to say. His smile made my heart ache. I had not realized how much I had missed him until this moment. I raised my hand to his face and slapped him. His expression hardly changed, only his smile disappeared.<br>'I guess I deserved that.' I nodded. 'You bet you did.' I cupped his face and kissed him. When I leaned back, his smile had returned. 'You deserved that one too.'

His smile was irresistible. He kissed me again, softly and shortly, and then nodded toward the stage. 'I think your boyfriend is jealous.' I turned to see Marc, my guitarist, gazing in our direction, his eyes narrowed in rage. I turned back to Godric and smiled. 'He's not my boyfriend. He knows that. He sometimes forgets that.' Godric smiled and kissed me on the cheek. 'You have to get up there. I'll wait. I promise.' I frowned before I tried to turn back to the stage, but he wouldn't let go of my hand. My left hand.  
>His mouth hung open a little bit. 'You . . . You're still wearing your ring. Why would you wear your ring?' I smiled at him. 'Why wouldn't I?' I said, and walked back to the stage.<p>

* * *

><p>When she had finished her performance for the night, she joined him at his table in the corner.<br>Though most of their conversation remained unspoken, he did tell her why he had not returned for so many years. He explained why had done the things he had done. Ariana spoke very little, and he spoke a lot. It was almost like an opposite world. She wasn't angry, knowing why had he lied to her.  
>She sat with her feet on the third chair at their table, a hardly touched cocktail in front of her.<br>He looked at her. 'You've hardly said anything.' She looked up at him. 'What is there to say?' He shrugged. 'Must be something you would like to say. Anything would be fine. Even if you said you hated me.'

She smiled sadly. 'Wouldn't it be so much easier if I did say that? But I would be lying. And, That I cannot permit myself to do. I couldn't live without you again. Believe me, I tried. But I just . . . I can't.' The more he looked at her, the more convinced he got there was something very different about her. He still thought she was beautiful, but there was something a little more . . . raw about her features. Her cheekbones were more profound and her eyes seemed to be larger than he remembered. The more he looked at her, the more he came to think she had been seriously ill. This thought scared him. She could die of illnesses.  
>Her hair seemed to be duller and worse cared for than he remembered too.<p>

'You look like you've been ill,' he ventured to ask. She looked up. 'Yeah,' she whispered. 'Yeah, but I'm fine. Don't worry, it won't kill me. I'm sure you were so worried.' The sarcasm in her voice was obvious. He shook his head. 'You have no idea how often I wanted to come back, tell you the truth. But I thought you would be safer without me. That's the only reason I stayed away.'  
>She frowned. 'Godric, I'm not mad. I know why you left. Why you came back and why you left again. I just don't get why you're here now.' He sighed. 'Would you believe me if I told you I don't know either?' Something of a smile appeared on her lips. 'That must be so frustrating. You hate not knowing things.' He smiled wryly. 'No kidding.' Then, 'Why is it that I didn't know you were such a good singer?' She shrugged. 'One unusual talent is more than enough for me.'<p>

They didn't speak for a while. Godric tried to ignore her hostile attitude, for he knew she was afraid of getting hurt again. 'Will you ever be able to forgive me?' The ice in her eyes seemed to melt as her gaze met his. She leaned over the table for his hand. She dropped the bracelet he had left her all those years ago in his hand. 'I wear my ring, I kept the bracelet. I kept my love. I will forgive you at one point. But twenty years is a long time, even considering our long lives. I love you, Godric,' she said, her eyes still on his. 'I hope loving you is going to be enough to forgive you. Love will certainly help, but you have to be patient with me.' He nodded. 'Do you want me to leave?' She shook her head. 'I won't last another twenty years without you.' 'You have seen me in these years,' he countered. She smiled wryly. 'Once in ten years isn't a real thing.' That, he could not deny.

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><p>At four AM, the club owner told them he wanted to close up, so they left for Ariana's apartment. Stopping in front of the door, keys in her hand, she turned around to face him. 'It's small, dirty and during the day, completely dark. There aren't any windows. You can stay here if you want. It'll be easier.' He nodded. He wanted to ask why she had left Dallas, but there was no point in asking. He knew she would've had to leave because she didn't age. She turned and opened the door. 'Please, Godric, come in.' He followed her inside and let his eyes wander around, though it was hard keeping them off Ariana.<br>She led him from the shabby hall into a small two-room-apartment, a sofa and a table on one end of the wall, facing the kitchen. Books were piled on a small table beside the sofa and a ragged blanket adorned the sofa. The kitchen was even tinier and sported the second door, presumably to the bedroom.

She gestured around, obviously not at ease. 'I know it's . . . Well, nothing really, but . . This aroused the least suspicion.' He didn't say anything.  
>She turned and looked at him. 'Why aren't you saying anything?' He shrugged. 'What is there to say?' She shrugged too. 'I don't know. Something. Anything.' She dropped herself on the sofa and closed her eyes in desperation. He sat down next to her, deliberately moving slowly.<br>She still looked like she would be blown away by the smallest breeze. She turned to him – playing with the bracelet around her wrist – and stroked his hand. It was the tiniest hint of affection, but it was more than he had expected.

'Godric,' she whispered when he kept his eyes away from her. 'Godric, look at me. Please, I know I don't look the same anymore, maybe not even pretty anymore. But I need you to look at me. Please.' He raised his eyes to hers and stroked her face; 'Please, don't be ridiculous. You're beautiful to me. Always have been. Always will be.' She shook her head. 'I thought we were through with the lying.' 'We are. I'm not lying to you. You are beautiful.' Before he had thought it through, before he realized what he was doing, he leaned in and kissed her. When the moment of surprise had passed, she kissed him back, allowing him to pull her closer. She was skinnier, yes, but not unhealthily skinny anymore.

For the first time in years, he fully appreciated how much he needed Ariana near him. Her body against his, the warmth of her skin, the softness of her lips on his. But this was wrong. She was angry. He shouldn't be kissing her while she was mad at him. It took him all of his willpower, but he managed to push her up and keep her there. 'What now?' she said. He shook his head. 'I don't think you should be with me while you're still mad at me.' She took his hands, pulled them from her shoulders and leaned in to kiss him. 'Whenever we fight, kissing always makes it better.' 'But,' he began, but she interrupted him by putting her finger on his lips. 'Godric, trust me, I'll tell you when I don't want something, but you, I do want.'  
>When her lips once again met his, he forgot every objection he had. He forgot what he wanted to say. All he remembered was to hold her closer, to kiss her.<p>

The day passed quickly into the night, before either of them had noticed. They never made the bed.  
>The sofa had proven its use though. Not until hours later had he carried her to the bed and laid down beside her. Neither of them spoke very much. Hours and hours later, Ariana fell asleep, leaning to Godric's chest. Godric, however, could not find rest at all. He studied Ariana's features, the way she slept, the steady rising and falling of her chest. He could no longer remember how he had lived without her for so long, or why he had been alright with the idea of her moving on.<p>

Only the thought filled him with rage as he had never before felt. Blood Rage. But now, with Ariana locked safely in his arms, he could not bear to sleep, to rest, and miss another moment of her life.  
>He stroked her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. 'I love you, Ariana. . .' He whispered.<p>

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><p><strong>HiHi, here's the next chapter xD I hope you like it.<br>I don't know when I'll be updating next, because school's starting again tomorrow. :s**

**Please review and tell me what you think. **

**Thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	10. New Life

**I just wanted to thank msjackson for reviewing every chapter so far! You've been really helpful, and I hope you like this too.**

**Enjoy reading!**

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><p><strong>New Life<strong>

Hours, days, months were spent trying to find a way to live together again.  
>Though Ariana had not yet said she forgave him for all he had done, he knew she would one day. Six months after the night they had first kissed again, Ariana somehow seemed more like she finally conquered the final aftermath of her disease. She was no longer extremely skinny, but her own slim self. Her natural skin tone had regained its natural glow. She was healthier, happier. Her hair had grown at least ten inches in the last few months. Godric sometimes still had troubles realizing how much she needed him.<br>Almost as much as he needed her. That too, seemed impossible to him. But however he looked at it, whichever way he tried to turn it, he needed her in his life.  
>During the nights, Ariana preformed in the club while he hunted. He no longer killed his humans, but drank from them, glamoured them and told them to leave.<br>After hunting, he'd return to the club, watch Ariana do her final songs before taking her home, to the shabby apartment in the older neighborhoods of London.

That night, Godric returned to the club after drinking from a drunk rapist. He only drank from 'bad' people, feeling it was some sort of compensation for the deaths he had caused in the past. Ariana was just finishing a particularly fast and happy song. She noticed his entrance and waved at him, smiling coquette.  
>He grinned. The barkeeper – who knew him by now – smiled at him and gestured to an empty table in the corner. Godric steered his way between the packed tables and sat down at the table at last. Not even a minute later, the barkeeper dropped a cocktail on his table. A Bloody Mary.<br>He never drank it, but the barkeeper knew to bring it as soon as he walked in. Ariana finished the song and bowed to the crowd.  
>When she walked up to him, he couldn't help but feel a smile appear on his lips. She swooped down upon him and kissed him full on the lips. He felt her tense up as she tasted the blood that had remained on his lips, but she didn't pull back.<p>

When the kiss lasted so long people started to whistle, he slowly pushed her in the chair next to his, only leaning back from her when she had sat down. She smiled at him at wiped her hair out of her face. 'So? AB negative tonight?' He nodded. 'You're getting better at tasting it.' She frowned. 'Like I want to.'  
>She leaned closer, her lips brushing past his cheek, before she leaned back, his cocktail in her hand. She sipped, made a face and returned it to the table. 'Yuk,' she said, 'I hate Bloody Mary.' He grinned, and then set himself on asking her what he had wanted to for days. 'Ariana,' he started, 'I wanted to ask you something.' She sipped from the cocktail again, making a face and smiling at him. 'Shoot. Anything you want.' She traced one of the veins on his hand, somehow making it harder for him to focus on what he wanted to say. 'I wanted to ask you if . . . If you'd consider returning to America with me.' Her face was expressionless, save the disgust when she sipped from his cocktail again.<p>

'I just feel like . . . I'm done here. There's nothing left for me. Except for you. And if you don't want to go, I'll stay. But . . . But I want to go.' She sipped from the cocktail, put it on the table, lifted his hand and pressed a kiss on it. 'If you are . . . done here, I don't want to stop you. Leave, if you want to. But I'm not sure if I am. Done here, I mean.' He frowned. 'I don't want to go anywhere without you. If don't want to go, neither will I.' She sipped from the cocktail again, but didn't answer. When she sipped again and made a disgusted noise, he couldn't stand the silence anymore. He took the glass from her and put it back on the table. 'Why do you drink it when you hate it?' She shrugged and smiled. 'It tastes like more,' she said, leaning forward, 'as do your lips,' she smiled and kissed him again. He could not argue her point. Her lips did taste like more.

This time, she broke the kiss and leaned back into the chair. 'Maybe we should go home. I am quite tired. And, I did look forward to having you kiss me all night,' she added in Greek. He could not help but smile.  
>He got up and helped her up. As they left the club, into the dark, moonless night, she turned around. 'And Godric, all I need to do is, um, I want to see the village. I need to close that chapter of my life before I can move on properly. Before I can leave it behind forever.' He smiled at her.<br>'I get it. We'll go. You'll see them again, close it, and then we can start our new life together.' She stopped walking suddenly. 'Okay, but there' s one thing though. I will go alone. Last time they saw you, they swore to stake you, without questioning. This once, you will do as I say. Then, we will start our new life.'  
>She kissed him, short and soft, before they walked on to the apartment.<p>

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><p><strong>THE WOODS OF THE VILLAGE, GREECE - 1960<strong>

I looked around carefully, knowing I was surrounded by people. They did not do anything though.  
>They were told only to shadow me, make sure I didn't do anything I was not supposed to. I knew they were supposed to follow me in such a way that I wouldn't see them. Of course, being trained the same way as they were, I did see them.<br>I approached the gates of the village, realizing I first met Godric in this exact spot.

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><p><em>I felt the pain when the thing - vampire - behind me sank his teeth into my neck. I screamed, trying to struggle, but his iron grip did not falter. Suddenly, a young man moved into the clearing so fast I could hardly see it. The pressure of the vampire's grip disappeared, and I felt my knees give in.<br>The young vampire stood crouched beside me, growling at the other vampire, who stood in the same position a few feet away. _

_I strained to hear what they were saying. 'She is my human. You cannot feed on her.' The words seemed so treathening, I shivered. A few moments long, the other vampire remained in the same spot. His head was cocked to the right, and he examined the young vampire. After a few heartbeats, he straightened up and ran away.  
>The following seconds were the longest of my existence. My life. I looked at the young vampire, whose back was turned on me. <em>

_He slowly turned around, and somehow, the only thing I saw, was that he was handsome. Ridiculously handsome. Neither was he as young as I had first thought. His piercing blue eyes were stunning. I couldn't keep my eyes off his. I barely noticed the aching in my neck, where the vampire's fangs had pierced my skin. He kneeled beside me and softly stroked my hair from my neck.  
>For some reason, he bit his finger and lifted it, as if he were to wipe his blood on my skin. I wondered if he was trying to distract me. Handsome or not, he was a vampire. He would drink my blood. Kill me. Strangely though, I did not feel scared. 'What are you waiting for?' I asked, startling him. <em>

_He leaned back, examining my face. I wiped the blood that had dripped from my neck on my hand away. 'I heard what you said to him. I'm your human, so feed on me. Isn't that what you wanted?' He tilted his head to the side and examined my face. He opened his mouth, but did not speak. 'No . . .' He slowly said. 'No, that is not what I wanted. I just wanted you safe.' I raised an eyebrow in surprise. That was not what I had expected. 'Why?' The question bubbled up before I realized I wanted to know.  
>'I do not know. I merely know I wanted you safe.' I sat up. He bit his finger again and wiped it over the bite. The throbbing in my neck got less, until the pain disappeared in all. <em>

_I remembered the strange feeling of being followed. 'You were the one following me, weren't you? For days, weeks even?' He slowly, almost tenderly, wiped the blood from my neck, examining the skin. He nodded. 'You . . . Intrigued me. There is something about you. I cannot put my finger on it.' I smiled at him. He frowned. 'Do you not fear me?' I didn't have to think about it. I shook my head. 'If you wanted to harm me, you would've already.' I got up and brushed the sand of my legs and clothes. He followed my example quickly. He touched my arm. 'I shall accompany you to your village. Stay there, do not wander alone into these woods again. I cannot protect you a second time.' I hardly realized we had reached the edge of the woods until he stopped. 'I must go. Only a few hours until dawn.' He turned away when I realized I had not thanked him. _

_'Wait!' I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him. He slowly turned. 'I wish to thank you,' I started, 'but I would not know to whom I should address it. What is your name, Vampire?' He answered very fast, almost like he thought he might stop himself. 'Godric.' The name fit him perfectly. There was something about him that . . . that was almost addictive. I smiled. He smiled too, and his smile was beautiful. As was he. 'Well then, Godric,' I whispered, 'I owe you my eternal gratitude. When I can do something to repay you, name it. Even if you deicde that repayment requires my blood.' Wile I said that, I knew that thought did not scare me. I leaned closer and kissed his cheek and turned to the village. He had frozen when I had kissed his cheek. But before I had taken more than a few steps, I heard his voice emerge from behind me. 'Wait,' He said. I turned and smiled at him. 'Ariana. My name is Ariana.'_

_Then I turned and walked through the gates, feeling like__ I had actually overcome something huge._

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><p>I stopped walking when I reached the gates. I breathed in deeply and prepared for anything that would lie behind the gate. Hatred, reproach, misunderstanding, anything. Instead of the imposed seven decades, I had been gone far longer. A thousand years was a very long time, even from my point of view. The world could change wholely and fully. People changed. I changed.<br>When I had left, I had somehow, despite my three thousand years, been no more than a child. I no longer felt like a child. The Illumination had altered my thinking and my mind. As had the suffering and pain. But if I got to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.

I slowly approached the gates, and swung them open, exposing the village to my eyes. Nothing seemed to have changed. Nothing at all. I glanced to the right, surprised to see lights burn in what had one day been my house. It was very uncommon to let an immortal live in another's house. Only close relatives used to live in each other's houses. Perhaps some things had changed.  
>I proceeded to the village square, where I had reached the age of illumination. As I walked between the houses, doors and windows opened and people peeked around the corner, curious to see me.<br>Slowly but surely I created a large group of followers, who followed me to the square, none speaking.

The Elders stood in a line next to each other, looking serious as they always had. Long dark capes rounded their shoulders, washing down their backs onto the ground. All of them wore the hood. I didn't say anything. I noticed there were still only six of them, instead of seven. That meant they had not replaced Persephone, the oldest amongst immortals all over the world. I tried to understand why they hadn't, but there was no liable reason that sprung to mind. The feeling the village gave me was . . . Strange. Inexplicable. It no longer felt like the safe harbour it had been before I had been banished.  
>It felt like . . . Like the web of a spider, trying to lure you in its inescapable grip.<p>

'So,' one of the Elders finally spoke, 'you return to us after many many years of absence. Of fear. Fear for what had become of you. We feared the vampire -' 'Godric,' I said irritably, 'his name is Godric.' The Elder inclined his head, '. . . That Godric had killed you. On purpose or not, we mourned for your loss. And now, you give us reason to rejoice. For you have returned to us, bearing a child!' The people cheered, but the sound seemed dimmed, like it came from a great distance. What had he said? Had I heard him right? Bearing a child? What was he talking about? My monthly bleeds still came. The only person I had ever slept with was a vampire, for crying out loud! I raised a hand, as if in a dream, to silence everyone.  
>'What do you mean?' I asked, my voice no more than a whisper.<p>

The Elders exchanged confused glances. 'You carry a child. The next immortal. We can feel its presence.' 'But. . . That's impossible. It can't be. Vampires don't sire children!' The silence that followed was almost deafening. I stared at the Elders, who seemed just as dumbstruck as I was. Finally, a voice emerged from behind me. 'But we feel it too. There is something. You must've been with someone other than the vampire?' I shook my head, dazed. 'No. No, you must be mistaken. I'm not . . . I'm not with child. I still . . . I bleed. Like any other woman. Someone else. .' But the Elders stepped forward together, as if one, and shook their heads simultaniously. 'We cannot be mistaken. This is the same presence we felt when your mother was expecting you. A great one. Might vibrates in its limbs. We can feel it.' I shook my head and, without thinking, dropped my hand to my belly. Did I imagine it or did something move? It had to be my imagination. It must've been. Godric was . . . There was no way. . .

I stared at the ground, trying to comprehend, when I gasped for breath after a sharp move in my belly. I had not imagined that. Was it possible? Could it be? It was ridiculous, and yet, I found myself wondering if it could be. If Godric and I could have that what we had always missed in our lives.  
>I dropped my hand to my belly, cradling something that wasn't there.<br>My child. Godric's child.

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><p>Godric paced around the house, trying to ignore his worry for Ariana. She felt confused, but there was a hint of fear and delight to her confusion. It confused him. He knew she was safe. He hoped she was safe.<br>He had bought a house in Dallas, large enough for both them and others, if they ever desired to stay.  
>He had already moved the entire library on his own, the living room was being decorated and the bedroom was nearly finished. He had had a cubby built beneath the bedroom floor, artificial lights in the walls, and a simple bed with white sheets.<br>Now, all that was missing here was Ariana. He missed her laugh, her remarks and her . . . Her everything.

The King of Texas had already sent word that he was very pleased with a vampire like Godric in his state. He had hinted that they might have need of a word in private later. Godric couldn't imagine what the King would have to say to him, but he had nodded and accepted that if the King wanted to see im, he would budge. A boy knocked on the open door while he entered. 'Sir? We're finished in the main bedroom. Would you like us to take care of the one in the south wing of the house too?' Godric turned and smiled at the boy. 'Yes, why don't you?' The boy nodded and hurried outside.

He sat down at the desk and looked at his hands, the gold ring on his finger. He missed Ariana. He needed her. He closed his eyes and thought, 'Please hurry back, Ariana. Hurry back...'

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><p><strong>Pfooh, this story keeps surprising even me. I had no intention whatsoever to make Ariana believe she was pregnant.<br>I hope this is a twist you can appreciate, for I really didn't mean to make it some kind of Twilight-ish thing; not at all. Maybe it won't be.**

**Anyway, I promise to update as soon as I can. . . In the mean time, I'd say, enjoy the chapter!**

**Please review!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	11. Sherriff

**Sherriff**

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA - 1970**

He sat in a small, white chair, apart from the other vampires. They had all come to celebrate his appointment. He had been made Sherriff of Area 9. Ariana had left the room, saying she had had enough of the greedy look when the vampires smelled her. She had stayed in Greece for a couple of months.  
>Something about Greece had changed her. She was . . . quiet. She spent most of her days inside, reading or studying. And now, she preferred to be alone in their room rather than stay with him.<br>He could not really blame her, but he would've preferred it if she had remained by his side. These vampires were crude and uncivilized. Isobel and Stan were the two he trusted most. He had named them second in command. Isobel had gracefully accepted his liaison with Ariana, as she had called it. Stan on the other hand had reacted as any vampire did. Called Ariana a useless blood bag.  
>He had learned to hold his tongue very fast. Before Godric could react to that jibe, Ariana had. Using her powers, she had thrown him through one of the windows with a snap of her fingers.<p>

Both Stan and Isobel had treated her with the utmost respect after this display of power. The Vampire King of Texas had summoned Godric shortly after moving here, and had offered him the position of Sherriff. He had accepted the position as soon as he was sure Ariana didn't mind. Now, almost all vampires in Dallas were in his house, celebrating their new Sherriff.  
>Suddenly, a tall vampire called Micheal strode into the room, holding a small figure in his arms. 'Sherriff,' he began in his booming voice, 'I brought you a present.' He put the small figure on her feet. Godric now saw it was a young girl, no older than three or four. Her dark hair was tangled and her face was wet with tears. 'She's AB negative. Very rare, and exactly your taste. I smelled it the second I saw her.' Godric stood up and approached the girl. He could not deny she smelled good. But she was only a child.<br>'Where did you find her?' 'Some car park. They were asleep in the car. I took care of the parents and took her while she was sleeping.'

Godric shook his head. He kneeled before the girl, and asked her, 'What is your name, little one?' Isobel stated, 'She doesn't look like she speaks English, sir.' He cocked his head to the side. 'Spanish perhaps?' But to this the girl did not react either. Godric sighed and got up again. 'She's a little young for my taste. Bring her back, unharmed and untouched,' he added when he saw the greedy looks of the vampires. 'But Sherriff,' Micheal started. Godric raised a hand to silence him, but before he could do anything, Ariana came back into the room.  
>She looked from Godric to the girl to Micheal and back to Godric. 'What is going on here?' She asked. Godric met her eyes. 'They brought me a girl. She's too young for my taste. I ordered to bring her back.' She approached the girl. 'Poor thing,' she whispered, 'Can't you see she's terrified?' Her head snapped up and she looked at Micheal. 'What did you do to her?' The treat in her words all to obvious and all vampires in the room seemed to back away. 'Nothing, I swear. Just took her here.' Ariana lowered her gaze to the girl again and fell to her knees before the girl.<p>

The next thing Godric realized, she had grabbed his hand. 'Godric,' she whispered, stunned. 'What?' he asked, looking at her. She was shocked. 'What bloodtype is she?' He frowned. 'AB negative.' She inhaled sharply and gazed at the girl as if she were trying to solve a puzzle. She breathed in deeply. 'Ποιο είναι το όνομά σου?' She asked the girl. Godric stared at her. She had asked the girl her name in Greek. The girl looked up and whispered, 'Alexandra.' Ariana stared at her. 'Ariana? What is . . .' She interrupted him. 'Look at her eyes. Look at her eyes and tell me what you see.' Godric was well aware of twenty pairs of eyes on his back. He shifted his eyes from Ariana to the girl. His mouth fell open.  
>He looked at Ariana's piercing blue eyes again and back to the girl. 'Impossible,' he whispered. 'Sir?' Isobel asked carefully. But he was too stunned in surprise to reacted. He hardly noticed Ariana standing up and throwing Micheal against a wall, keeping him there. 'What did you do to her parents?' She asked, a deadly undertone in her voice.<br>Micheal struggled against the powers she used, but was unable to free himself. 'Lady, you're mad! Let me go!' he roared. 'Answer me!' she said, her voice still deadly calm. 'I took care of them! Fed on them! What did you think I did?' Ariana seemed to swell in anger before she threw Micheal on the floor again. Godric finally snapped out of it and got hold of her arm, before she would do something she would regret later. 'Ariana, what does it matter what he did to them?' he asked. She pulled her arm loose and turned back to Micheal, her eyes shooting flames.

'He killed my sister!'

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><p><strong>Okay, again, very short xD I hope you like.<br>Tried the whole cliff-hanger thing for a change, but I am not sure if it worked out the way it should've.  
>Well, anyway, this chapter takes place some nine to ten years after Ariana thought she was pregnant. What happens next? <strong>

**You'll have to wait for the next chapter ;) Please review.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	12. Alexandra

**Alexandra**

Godric watched the little girl as she slept, almost like he were in a trance. He felt numb. Like his body and mind couldn't keep up with each other. 'Tell me again,' he said. Ariana sat by the other side of the bed. Her face was wet with tears, but a tender smile was on her lips as she wiped curls from the girl's forehead. 'I don't know what more to tell you.' He groaned, moved his hand through his hair in a very uncharacteristical move and walked round the bed, turned her chair and made her look at him. 'How about you starting with having a baby? Or sleeping with another man? I thought you . . I thought you loved me.' Her mouth fell open. 'How can you believe I don't? I never slept with anyone else; never. I didn't tell you because . . .' she looked away, seemingly embarrassed. 'I thought I'd dreamt it. I hoped I did. When she was born . . . They told me she had died during the birth. Somehow, I tried to make that a dream.' He stroked her cheek. 'I didn't know, I swear,' she whispered. Godric looked at the girl again.

It seemed impossible. It was impossible. He was a vampire. An anomaly. Something unnatural.  
>Vampires didn't sire children. Ever. It was not possible. And yet, there the living proof lay. A little girl, with Ariana's stunning blue eyes and his pale complexion. Ariana's dark curls and his nose and lips. But still, this was very, very hard to believe. He fell on his knees next to her and rested his head on her knees. 'What do we do now?' He said. He felt her shrug. 'I don't know. I really don't; I didn't think we could have this. I never thought it possible.' He sat up and studied the girl's – his . . . His girl, his daughter – face. She was beautiful. A perfect union of Ariana and him. He wanted her to stay. He wanted to see her grow, become a woman. Become the beautiful woman her mother was. 'We can keep her. We can hire a maid to help you. A tutor. She can go to school. Have a normal life.' She shook her head. 'If I am right, which I think I am, she doesn't age like others do. Slower. Much slower. I left the village ten years ago. She looks like she's only four.' Godric looked at Ariana again. He could not disagree, for she was absolutely right.<p>

'Then tell me about your sister first.' Ariana shrugged, her eyes still fixed on Alexandra. 'I didn't know for sure. I thought both my parents had died. Apparently, my dad didn't die. He fell in love with a mortal after my mum died, and they exiled him. He married the mortal and had a daughter. My sister. She ages slower than humans, but she ages. I met her in the village. I thought she liked me. I loved the idea of having a sister. Apparently, all she wanted was Alexandra.' Godric frowned as he tried to keep up with the story. 'But why? Why your – our – baby?' At this, Ariana looked him in the eyes, and he saw fresh tears shine in them. 'She can't have children. For some reason, she's unfertile. Maybe she thought having Alexandra would be a nice compromise. I don't know her reasons, or theirs. God, Godric, I only just found out that it wasn't some weird dream, and that my daughter isn't dead. Give me a break, will you?' Slowly, Godric kissed her hand and stood up. 'I'd better go and tell Stan and Isobel what is going on. Send everyone home. Something like that. We don't need more drama tonight.' She got up too, holding his hand tightly, like it was a buoy and she was drowning. 'What do we do?' He stroked her cheek and wiped away the tears that had remained. 'I don't know. I don't know and that is really . . . frightening.' He shot a glance at Alexandra, who was still asleep in the bed. 'But whatever we do, it'll work out. It always does.' He kissed Ariana and then left the room, preparing for Stan and Isobel. They were not going to be pleased.

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><p><strong>1972<strong>

Ariana sat in the corner of the room, reading to Alexandra. Alexandra had grown a lot in the past two years. It seemed like Ariana's assumption that she would age slower was not true after all. Yet it had been before Alexandra had come here. Ariana had a theory on it. Maybe time in the village was even slower. Frozen, never moving forward, causing those who live there to age incredibly slowly.  
>Godric had accepted this as a very likely possibility. They had kept Alexandra with them. How could they not? Ariana had loved her ever since she first lay eyes on her, and Godric had to admit that she was very precious to him too. When he had explained the situation to Stan and Isobel that night, Stan had cursed like never before; both had tried to convince him of letting the girl and even Ariana go. His refusal to do either of those things caused a lot of frowning. Even the King was said to frown upon the situation, but even he could not force Godric to send his daughter away.<p>

He made sure Alexandra could not disturb the nightly gatherings, hired a nanny – much to Ariana's displeasure – and a tutor. Alexandra now spoke fluent English, Greek and even a little bit Gaulish, something she seemed to know naturally. She was very smart, and loved it when both her parents read stories to her. In many ways, she was no more than the child she looked like, but there was an edge of wisdom a normal six-year-old shouldn't have. Had she aged normally, she would be twelve now. Godric still marveled over the miracle. They had found out it was not as unique as they had originally thought. There were other vampires who had children, but most of those children never lived past their second birthday.  
>Godric liked to think their daughter had lived because of his care and his love, though he knew that had very little to do with it.<p>

Ariana had finished the book and shut it. Godric checked his watch and kneeled before Alexandra. 'Come on, sweetie,' he said, 'time to go to bed. Say goodnight to mummy.' Alexandra turned around and kissed Ariana on the cheek before running away, yelling, 'Catch me, daddy!' He grinned and followed her through the door. When he had caught her and carried her to her bedroom – of course under loud protest – he couldn't help but know that she made him feel alive again. He no longer felt like an old man caught in the body of a teenager. Ariana understood exactly what he felt. Alexandra made him feel like a young man. Everything was a novelty to her and slowly but surely, this view rubbed off on him and Ariana too. He thought less like a vampire. He was pleased to find that he could survive for a long time without blood.

He pulled the sheets over his daughter while she looked at him inquiringly. 'Daddy,' she said, 'Why don't you come with me and mummy when we go to the park?' He stopped moving completely, not knowing how to respond. Alexandra had her moments with this. She could ask such pointed questions, well beyond her years, that neither he nor Ariana knew how to answer.  
>'Um . . . Daddy's a bit, um, allergic to the sun, sweetie. That's why I can't go out. It makes daddy have a lot of pain,' he finally said. 'And now,' he said while tucking her in carefully, ' go to sleep, and maybe daddy will read two stories tomorrow.' Alexandra smiled broadly and kissed Godric on the cheek before rolling onto her side and closing her eyes. Godric walked through the door and turned off the lights before closing the door. Alexandra didn't want a night light, she insisted it kept her awake.<p>

He returned to the library, where he found Ariana returning the books to their shelves. 'She asleep?' He nodded and sank in the chair by the desk. 'What is it, baby?' Ariana returned the last book to its shelf and walked up to him. He shook his head. 'She startled me, that's all.' Ariana stroked his cheek and leaned closer to kiss him. 'What did she say?' 'Nothing. She just reminded me that I'm a vampire.' Ariana sighed. 'I told you before, it doesn't matter,' he added. 'Godric, of course it do ' she never finished the sentence. He pulled her onto his lap and kissed her passionately. When he leaned back, her cheeks were red with excitement and she breathed heavily. 'Would you stop doing that?' she whispered. 'Do what?' She smiled and pressed her lips on his once again before answering. 'Make me forget how to breathe. Forget to breathe at all.'

He smiled. 'Your own fault. Don't make me feel the need to.' She smiled and leaned closer to kiss him again. He pulled her closer and let his hands wander underneath her shirt, making her moan. Suddenly someone coughed and said, 'Well ain't this just the pretty picture?' Ariana got up and turned around, her cheeks still red. Godric rubbed over his forehead and said, 'Stan, don't you knock?' Stan leaned to the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest and smiling cruelly. 'I knocked, sir. I reckon you were just too busy to notice.' Ariana pulled her shirt down and smiled. 'I think I'll go and check on Alex. You two have fun.' As she passed Stan, he flattened himself against the wall. She smiled radiantly.

'Now what is it Stan?' 'Well sir, with all due respect, we are worried about you. You read the girl at night, it just ain't right! You're a Sherriff. Not some nanny. It is absolutely not befitting of your authority.' Godric frowned. 'Stan, I do as I will. Your concern is touching, but as I have pointed out, I will not budge to peer pressure. If I want to spend time with _my_ daughter, I will.' Stan opened his mouth to protest, but Godric got up and left the library. 'Come Stan. Let the subject rest.' 'But sir,' Stan started, but Godric turned around and lifted his gaze to Stan's face. 'I said come,' he said in a way that left no room for questions.

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><p><strong>Heyhey,<strong>

**I hope you can still keep up, but if there are questions, please feel free to ask.  
>Another short chapter, I know, but I hope you like it. <strong>

**Please review and thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	13. Big Time Brother

**Hey everyone, **

**This is quite a long chapter in comparsion to the others, but I hope you like.  
>I had several requests concerning Eric reappearing in this or the next chapter, so I tried to work to that need, but I'm not sure how you will like it. <strong>

**By the way, Ariana and Godric are already married, as I pointed out, perhaps a bit vaguely, when I told you Godric and Ariana wore matching weddingrings before she left for America.  
>Maybe I'll let them renew their vows, but I'm not sure yet.<strong>

**All I can say now is thanks for reviewing so far and enjoy the next chapter xD**

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><p><strong>Big Time Brother<strong>

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA – 1984**

She was almost eighteen.  
>Godric was amazed by how grown-up she looked. He often sat with her as she studied, helping her with reviewing things, tutored.<br>Alex was tall, taller than he was, taller than Ariana, and lean, moved with a kind of natural grace. She was highly intelligent and was fluent in more than six languages.  
>Teachers had always been very enthusiastic about her attitude in classes, and he found himself proud of her, proud of himself, that he had once again proven every vampire in Area 9, if not the whole state of Texas, wrong. There was no trace of the scared little four-year-old in Alexandra's features now.<p>

'Repeat it.' Godric paced through the library calmly, his hands folded behind his back. Alexandra leaned on the desk with her elbow, her head resting on her hand. 'Do I have to? We've been over this a thousand times already.' He raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. 'You do want to ace this exam, don't you?' She sighed. 'Of course, but I know the stuff. I'm going to do fine.' 'Then show me. Tell me again.' She sighed again, closed the book in front of her and stuffed the loose papers inside.

'The liver receives a dual blood supply from the hepatic portal vein and hepatic arteries,' she recited by memory, obviously bored to death by the material, 'Supplying about 75% of its blood supply, the hepatic portal vein carries venous blood drained from the spleen, gastrointestinal tract, and its associated organs.' Godric smiled to himself. She did know it all. 'The hepatic arteries supply arterial blood to the liver, accounting for the remainder of its blood flow. Oxygen is provided from both sources; about half of the liver's oxygen demand is met by the hepatic portal vein, and the other half is met by the hepatic arteries.' She shifted in her chair, lay her feet on the desk, closed her eyes and continued, ' Blood flows through the sinusoids and empties into the central vein of each lobule. The central veins coalesce into hepatic veins, which leave the liver.' She sat up again and smiled radiantly. 'There you go. I told you.'

Godric smiled. 'You'll do great. I know that.' She smiled. 'So dad, I wanted to ask you something. . . It's really nothing, but I really . . . Well, I just. .' She shifted again, leaning heavily on the table. 'Can I go to the prom next Friday? It's the first prom our school has ever organized and all my friends are going, and I never get to go anywhere, so dad, please, please, please can I go?' Godric made a face. 'You know what I am going to say, don't you?' She got up and walked right up to him, looking right through him. 'Why not? Give me one good reason.' He thought about a reason. And another. But he could not think of a single good one. 'You're part vampire. It wouldn't be safe for you to go out.' 'You're being ridiculous. Like any human could harm me. You know what I can do.' She had the same abilities Ariana had and even acquired vampire speed. He sighed. 'You're not going. End of discussion.'

She gazed at him with scrutinizing intensity before turning around and stomping out of the library, swearing in Greek and Gaulic at the same time. He sighed. Why was she so much like Ariana? He too left the library and walked through the corridor, still deep in thought. He entered his bedroom, finding Ariana sitting on the bed, reading. She looked up and smiled, but her smile faltered quickly when she assessed his mood. 'Uh oh. What did she do now?' she asked, throwing the book aside and jumping of the bed. He shook his head. 'Nothing. She just won't listen. She's stubborn.' Ariana grinned. 'Does that even surprise you? She is yours.' He frowned. 'I am not stubborn.' Ariana laughed. 'Sure you're not. You are just . . .' She struggled to find a word. 'You're . .' She started laughing. 'I'm sorry, I can't think of another word. You're just stubborn, sweetheart.' He made a face. She grinned.

'Do you want me to talk to her?' He shook his head. 'She knows my view on things. She'll respect it.' Ariana examined his expression. 'Are you sure?' He nodded slowly. 'Yes, I am. And now,' he kicked the door behind him, shutting it tight, 'I would like you to shut up about our daughter,' he pushed her further back against a wall, 'and put those lips to better use.' She smiled and leaned closer to kiss him when the door blew open and Alexandra burst in. 'Mum, you ' She stopped dead in her tracks. 'Yuk, get a room!' Godric let go of Ariana and rolled his eyes. Ariana grinned at Alexandra. 'For your information, we did have a room all to ourselves, before you came barging in.' Alexandra tried to look annoyed, but she couldn't hide the smile that appeared on her lips.

'So, mum, what I wanted to talk to you about, dad says I can't go to the prom. But it's my senior year, and I'll never get to go to a prom again and all my friends are going and . . . And . . .' She threw her arms in the air. 'Would you just talk to him? I'm eighteen in two weeks!' Godric groaned. 'I already told you, you're not going.' He turned to Ariana. 'Tell her. Tell her you agree.' Ariana leaned against the wall, an amused smile on her lips, her eyes darting between Alexandra and Godric.  
>She turned to Godric. 'I think she's right. She should go. But she should be home early too,' she added when Alexandra exclaimed 'Hah!'. 'It seems like a nice compromise. You can go, but you have to be home by one. And you,' she turned to Godric, 'can go to pick her up. Okay?' They both pouted, causing Ariana to burst into laughter. 'Now, she said to Alexandra, 'Go to your room, read something and go to bed. It's a school night.' Alexandra grinned and hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her.<p>

'So,' Godric said when they were alone again, 'Where were we?'

* * *

><p>Godric sat in the car, tapping his foot nervously while he waited for Alexandra to come outside of the Hotel where the prom was held. Ariana had laughed and said he was cute when he was worried. Even Isobel had looked mollified. After what seemed like a million years, the door opened and a colourful group of teenagers filed outside. The girls wore beautiful silk gowns in all colours of the rainbow, the boys dressed in neat tuxedo's. Alexandra was amongst them.<br>She looked absolutely wonderful. Her long hair had been curled neatly and raosed with silver-coloured pins, and she wore very little make-up.

She wore a sky-blue ruffled dress that reached her knee. On her feet she wore high-heeled shoes that were tied to her ankles with silk laces. She looked absolutely stunning, and everyone seemed to agree with that.  
>She hugged her friends and approached the car, still laughing and smiling. One boy followed her, a slavish look on his face. She turned around and said something, to which he replied with a large smile. He took her hand and pressed a kiss on it. He slowly backed away and waved once more before the group filed inside again. Alexandra seemed very excited and walked up to the car turning graceful pirouettes as she did. She opened the door, an exited smile lightening up her face.<br>'Hi dad,' she said breathlessly. He smiled at her. 'Had a good time?' She nodded. 'Yeah, it was okay. I had a nice time.' She leaned closer and pressed a kiss on his cheek. 'Thanks for letting me go.' He smiled. 'I guess it wasn't that bad after all.'

They drove home in silence after that, Alex leaning her head against Godric's shoulder. He could feel how tired she was and smiled to himself. Ariana had been right. He needn't worry about her. She would be just fine. When they had reached the house, it seemed quite crowded in there, even for a full moon night.  
>Alexandra went inside through the backdoor that led her right to her room.<br>Godric frowned and opened the front door to see what all the commotion was about.

'– And I say we wait! There is no need for any of this! Godric will know what to do,' Isobel said. Godric heard Stan's loud voice over the others. 'We kill the humans! We have before. We should we fucking change now?' Godric entered the room, startling all vampires inside. Isobel looked positively relieved. 'Now, what is going on? I could hear you yelling when I got out of my car, on the other side of the house. This better be good.' Stan , Isobel and twenty or more vampires stared at him.  
>Eventually, a female vampire stepped forward. She wore clothes that had once been handsome, but that were now riddled by a great many bullets.<br>'I am Sophia. I am new to your Area, but when the humans came for me, I knew not where else to turn.' Godric frowned. 'Humans attacked?' She nodded.

'They came during the day, while I was resting. I do not know how they knew I was there, nor do I know how I managed to get away before they staked me, but I did.' She gestured at her clothes. 'With the nessecary collateral damage.' Godric nodded. 'We will come with you. Find the humans. Glamour them, find out how they know about you and take care of the one responsible.'  
>Stan grimaced and Isobel smiled. 'So,' one of the vampires clapped his hands, and fangs popped out, 'Let's get some humans!'<p>

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><p><em>ARIANA'S POV<em>

I wiped my hair from my eyes and sat up. Godric had told me he had to go and deal with some vampire stuff and that he might not be back before dawn.  
>Alex was asleep, delighted by the prom. She had had a great night, she had said, and her new boyfriend only made it better. She had told him not to kiss her in front of Godric, or he would rip the kid's head off. He hadn't known how serious she was, but he had respected her wishes.<p>

Someone rang the bell and startled me. No one ever rang the bell. I got up from the bed and pulled my shirt back on before I hurried to the front door.  
>When I opened the door, I felt felt many things, before a smile broke through on my lips. The large viking in the door smiled too.<br>'Eric!' I called while throwing my arms around his neck. 'Where have you been? It's been ages!'  
>He hugged me back for a short moment too and then looked around. 'Is Godric here?' I shook my head. 'No, he's off dealing with vampire stuff.' Eric grinned.<p>

I closed the door behind me and followed him on our way to the living room. 'Are you thristy?' I asked. He shook his head. 'No, I ate before I came here.'  
>We sat down on the sofa and talked the night away. Before I realized it, it was almost five AM.<br>Eric laughed again when a door opened behind him and Alexandra came in, wearing shorts and a top. Her hair was all messy and very curly.  
>Eric turned around and his mouth fell open. As did Alex's.<br>'Mum, who's this?' She said. Eric turned to me, dumbstruck. 'Mum?' He asked. I smiled. 'Alex, get your breakfast, or something, coffee maybe? And then sit down. This is Eric Northman.' A look of understanding appeared on her face. 'Oh, you mean daddy's oldest companion?' I nodded.  
>Eric's expression was downright hilarious.<p>

Alex hurried to the kitchen, yellling, 'Do you want coffee too, mum?' on her way. 'Yes, please,' I said. Eric turned to me, his eyebrows raised. I smiled. 'Yes, she is Godric's. Yes, it's possible. And no, you can't date her. She's like your sister.' Eric smiled his bad-noy-smile before answering, 'I know. Don't worry. She's not my type.' I threw a pillow at his head.  
>Alex handed me a cup of coffee and sat down in her large armchair. She smiled at Eric. 'So,' she said, 'What were my mom and dad like when you still lived with them?' I got up and rolled my eyes.<br>'Okay, I get it. This is a conversation I don't want to hear. I'm going to get some sleep. Alex, will you show Eric the cubby?' 'Yeah, mum. Cool. Night. I mean, day. Something,' she frowned. Eric grinned. I slapped him on the head as I walked past him. 'Behave,' I hissed in Swedish. He looked up and answered, 'Don't I always?' I snorted before I left the room.

* * *

><p>Alex crossed her legs and wrapped her long slim fingers around the cup of hot chocolate. Even though she told her mum she drank coffee, she preferred the chocolate. This Eric-dude was handsome. Very handsome. It was just too bad he was daddy's progedy. She frowned. Actually, it was too bad she had a boyfriend.<br>He seemed to examine her. 'I'm sorry,' he said with quite the impassive expression. 'This is just really strange. The idea of Godric having a child, even with Ariana is. . . Almost unimaginable. You are very much like him though. There is no doubt about it.' She didn't know whether to smile or not.  
>She wondered. . . She cocked her head to the side. Eric's eyes were very blue. 'Eric,' she said, an inquisitive look in her eyes, 'can I ask you something?' He nodded.<br>'Did you sleep with my mother?' His mouth fell open. His expression changed a few times. She recognized surprise, confusion, annoyance, and then, a hint of . . . Longing; desire.

'No,' he finally said, 'No, never. She's Godric's. I would never betray him like that.' She exmined him. 'But if -' 'There is no if. Ariana is Godric's, and she will be so forever.'  
>There was something in his tone that suggested she'd better drop the subject. He checked his watch. 'Could you show me the cubby? The sun'll come up any moment.' She nodded and put the cup on the table. 'Sure, follow me.'<p>

Eric got up and followed Alexandra out of the living room. She moved with the same grace as Ariana did. She was smonkin' hot. He shook his head. He was not allowed to think of her like that. The little sister thing. Right.  
>But she was . . . He interupted himself. She was his little sister.<br>She wasn't like his sister in any way, but she was sweet. And she knew how to overwhelm him with her questions. It was refreshing. She opened a door and switched on the lights. 'Here it is,' she said, 'It's dad's. I don't think he'll mind.' He nodded. 'Thank you.' He walked past her, to the ladder, when he caught a whiff of her scent. It entranced him. It balanced between the sweetest perfume and the most delicious blood. AB negative.

Involuntarily, he leaned closer, desiring more scent, desiring to taste it. Suddenly, he was on his back at the other side of the hall. Alexandra was still at the door, her left hand raised and her teeth bared in a snarl. She had fangs.

'Do that one more time and I'll blow you to shreds,' she said. He raised his hands, 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Your scent, it caught me off guard. I'm sorry.' She lowered her hand slowly.  
>He got up and approached the door. 'Alexandra, I am sorry. It won't happen again.' She stepped back and retracted her fangs. Almost reluctantly, she said, 'It's Alex. Everyone calls me Alex.' He nodded. 'Alex. I'll remember that.'<p>

She gestured to the cubby. 'There's an alarmclock inside. It'll ring when the last rays of sunlight have disappeared.' She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her upper arms. He saw there were goosebumps on her bare skin. In a moment of weakness as he described it later, he slid his arms out of his jacket and gave it to her. She took it, looking confused. He gestured at her arms. 'You're cold. I'm not. Try it on. You'll be warm in no time.' She smiled uncertainly and slid her arms in the sleeves. It was far too large for her, but she looked positively cuddly when she had it on.

'Thanks, Eric,' she said. She hid her hands deep in the pockets and leaned against the door. 'You know,' she said, a thoughtful look on her face, 'I always wanted a big brother.' She looked up at him. 'So promise you won't be a pain in the ass, like my dad sometimes is.' He smiled despite himself. 'Alright, I promise.' She looked over her shoulder through the window. The sky was pink and red, orange getting lighter every second. 'You'd better get down there. The sun'll be up in a few seconds.'  
>He smiled, nodded and flitted down the ladder.<p>

She looked down and smiled at him. 'Night, Eric. Or day.' He saw her frown. 'Why don't we go for 'sweet dreams'?' he asked. She laughed. 'Okay. Sweet dreams, Eric. See you tonight.' She closed the door and left him in darkness. He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. He needed to rest.

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><p><strong>So, this chapter is completed too.<br>Yet in this one, there is more that meets the eye, for those who are willing to seek it.  
>I know, I'm making it into some dramatic thing, but hey, who doesn't love some drama every now and then?<strong>

**Ask questions when you have them, I'll answer all of them, or I'll try to, and take a guess to what will happen next xD**

**In the mean time, please review and thanks for reading! **

**Xx Annaelle**


	14. Eric

**Eric**

Eric was woken by the annoying and monotone buzzing of an alarmclock. He opened his eyes, but did not move. The events of last night were clear in his mind. He had a very hard time believing Ariana and Godric had a child. Of course, he was convinced that she was telling the truth.  
>Alexandra - Alex, he reminded himself - Alex looked just like Godric. She had inherited Ariana's wild hair and temperament, her eyes and smile, but, looking at the rest, she was like Godric's female double.<br>He sat up and checked his watch. It was seven-thirty PM. Suddenly he heard angry voices above him. Alarmed by the voices, he flitted up the ladder and opened the door.

Alex was arguing with a pimply boy with blond curled hair. 'I told you to stay away from me!' she yelled at him. The boy followed her, caught her arm, and turned her around. Eric could see her eyes shoot daggers at the boy.  
>She was trying to hold back on using her power. 'I need you to listen,' he said. 'It's not what you think.' She threw her arms in the air. 'Oh really? It's not? How can I possibly misunderstand your lips on Shelby Vega's? What is there to misunderstand?' She yelled.<br>Eric watched, amused, as the boy tried to reason with her. He was fighting for a lost cause. Alex was just like Ariana. Once she made up her mind, there was no changing it. Ariana was persuadable only by Godric, and Alex didn't have a Godric to convince her otherwise.

Alex got so frustrated, she made a tiny handgesture, causing all the windows to fly open. Eric only felt like interfering when he saw the tears in her eyes. 'Alex,' he said, and the boy turned around, alarmed, Alex relieved. 'Anything wrong?' She nodded. 'Would you please escort my _ex_-boyfriend outside?' She put the emphasis on ex. 'Of course, Alex.' He said. 'This way.' he said to the boy. The kid threw another pleading look at Alex, but she refused to look at him. Eventually, he followed Eric outside.  
>When Eric wanted to close the door, the boy turned around. 'Please tell her I'm sorry. I mean it. I really, really am sorry. She deserves better.' Eric nodded. 'She sure does.' He closed the door, disregarding the boy's protests.<p>

He returned to the hall, where Alex had sat crosslegged on the floor. Teartracks shone brightly on her cheeks. He sank to his knees next to her. 'Don't cry,' he whispered, feeling extremly uncomfortable. 'He is not worth your tears.' She looked up at him. 'I know. But it hurts, Eric, it hurts so bad.' She started sobbing against his chest. He felt uncomfortable. What was he to do now? He patted her back, not knowing what else to do. Eventually, she sat up and wiped away her tears. Her make up had left dirty black stripes on her cheeks. She tried to smile. 'I'm sorry. I've hardly known you for a day and I'm already crying all over you. This is not how I usually behave.' He forced a smile and said, 'If you are anything like your mother and father, I believe you.' She really smiled this time.

Her hand felt warm on his arm and his shirt was hot where her tears had soaked it. 'I have not been a very good host, I'm afraid,' she said. 'Eric, are you hungry or thirsty? We have some blood in storage, if you like.' He was surprised by her sudden change of subject, but accepted it. He stood up and helped her up. 'I'm good, but thanks for the offer.' He looked around. 'Where's Ariana?' Alex's face darkened for a short moment. 'Working. She sings in a nightclub, like twice a week.' He raised an eyebrow. 'Really? I didn't know she could sing.' She smiled. 'Neither did my dad. But she's really good. I sometimes watch her during the weekend.'  
>He smiled and followed her through the hall to the living room. Eric looked around, surprised by how empty the house was. 'Isn't your dad here? Is the house always so empty?' She looked over her shoulder. 'No, usually a lot of people are here, but they all left with daddy last night. They'll be back soon though.' She gestured to the couch. 'Make yourself at home. Are you sure I can't get you anything?' He nodded. 'Yeah, I'm fine.'<p>

He sat down and looked around. Godric had sure taken care of himself in the years they had been apart. Though the house was decorated with so much taste that Godric could never have pulled it off. Must've been Ariana. Alex sat down next to him, holding a large glass of water. She sipped from it.  
>They exchanged some small talk. There was something between them. Eric's eyes kept gliding over the black stripes her make up had left on her face when she had cried.<br>Even looking all messed up like that, he could not stop himself from thinking she was beautiful. A heavy silence fell between them and she sipped from the glass again. He leaned back and examined her expression. Her eyes seemed far away, deep in thought. Her dark wavy hair framed her face, highlighting her cheekbones and her full lips. Drups of water lingered on her lips from when she had drank from her water. He swallowed and looked away.

Alex thought of nothing in particular. She could hardly believe she had dumped Mark Davies, the coolest and hottest guy in school. But she wasn't the kind of girl that just sat back and let a boy walk over her whenever he felt like it. She was far better than that.  
>But it hurt. It really hurt. Like someone had carved his name in her heart and then tried to cross it out again. Like she was bleeding on the inside.<br>She was glad Eric had stepped in when Mark refused to leave, but on the other hand, she really wished her mum or her dad would be here. She and her mom were like two hands in one glove. They were very close.  
>They connected on a level even her mum and dad did not have.<p>

Eric was nice. He'd been so sweet, letting her cry and sob all over his shirt. He was nicer than he looked too. Despite his handsomeness, he had something that warned you about him. Something he radiated. But he really was nice. She smiled at him. Suddenly he leaned over her, to catch the glass she had almost let go off.  
>She stared at his hand, the point where his fingers touched hers.<br>Slowly, he let go of her hand, his eyes locked on hers. He leaned back a little bit, but he was still so close to her she felt his breath on her cheek.  
>'Thanks', she managed to say. 'I don't know where my thoughts were.' He grinned. 'I know; that's why I paid attention.' She leaned to the table and put the glass down. When she leaned back on the sofa, she fully realized how close Eric sat to her.<p>

Before she knew what she was doing, before she fully realized the consequenses of her action, she leaned closer to him and pressed her lips on his. Yet, despite the obvious chemistry between them, there were no fireworks, no sudden relief. Eric's hands wrapped around her upper arms and slowly pushed her back.  
>She felt embarrassed. Now that she came to think of it, she had absolutely no idea why she had kissed him. 'Eric,' she said, but he silenced her by holding up his hand. 'I'm glad you did that. It cleared something. So don't apologize.' 'Cleared what?' 'What I should feel when I see you. Definately not love. Not that kind of love. I doubted.' She half-smiled. 'You doubted?' He smiled too.<br>'You are very pretty, and attractive. Of course I doubted.' Now, she really smiled. 'Big brother?' He nodded. 'Big brother.'

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><p>I got home at three AM, finding Eric in the library, reading Shakespeare. 'Where's Alex?' I asked. He hardly looked up from the book. 'Sleeping. She needed it. She dumped her boyfriend today.' I sank into a chair. 'No way. She loved him.' Now he looked up. 'Yes she did. But she didn't love his lips on another girl's.' I made a face. 'Oh no, he didn't.' I half got up. 'Is she okay?' He gestured for me to sit down again. 'She's fine. She was pretty messed up for some time, but she cried it out. She'll be fine.' I sat down again, still feeling distraught.<br>'I can't believe I wasn't there for her.' Eric had a funny expression on his face.  
>I looked around. 'Is Godric still not back yet?' He shook his head. 'I haven't seen anyone.' I sighed and checked my watch. Eric lay down the book and studied my expression. 'Why are you so agitated?' I shrugged.<br>'I don't know. I'm always kind of messed up when Godric isn't around.' He looked away. 'I'm not staying another night. I was just waiting for you to come home. I didn't want Alex to be alone.' I was surprised. 'You care. Already? So sweet.'

Eric grimaced and straightened up. 'Of course I don't.' I smiled. 'Keep telling yourself that.'  
>We left the library, still bickering. When we got to the front door, I grabbed his wrist and forced him to turn around. 'You haven't eaten since you've been here. Why haven't you?' He sighed. 'I don't need that much.' I raised an eyebrow. 'You're not Godric. Don't pretend to be. What is wrong?' He didn't look at me. 'Eric!' I said. He looked at me, a tortured look in his eye. 'I swore I wouldn't kill. I swore to Godric I would no longer kill. But I did. So I came here, hoping to find him here. Tell him what I did. But he wasn't here. And then you were. And Alex was. And I didn't think of it anymore.' I didn't know what to say. After a long silence, I wrapped my arms around him. 'I know Godric. I know he'll forgive you. He cares for you, Eric. He will know you don't mind.'<p>

He was still as a statue for a split-second before hugging me back. When he let go, he smiled just a little bit. 'Take care of Alex, will you?' He said, and added, 'Tell her to meet me in Louisiana sometime. After graduation, maybe. I'd love to introduce her to Pam.' I grinned. 'So they can figure out which one of them is cutest?' He laughed. 'Of course. Pam needs the exercice. She's getting lazy.' I smiled and opened the door for him.  
>After a long chat, he finally turned around and walked away<br>I raised my hand and waved.

'Goodbye Eric,' I yelled.

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><p><strong>Heyhey,<strong>

**It's been a while since I've updated, but school's kept me busy for a while. I hope you like it.**

**Thanks for reading, and please review!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	15. Plane

**Heyhey,**

**A bit of behind-the-scenes-info before you read the chapter. I made another leap in time, about nine to ten years. Alex visits Eric -her big brother - very regurlarly, sometimes to Godric and Ariana's displeasure. By the way, she stopped aging at the age of 24, but none of them know for how long.  
>At the time of this chapter, Godric was supposed to accompany her, but he refused at the last moment and therefore let Alex fly to Louisiana on her own. <strong>

**The last two chapters might've been a bit confusing, but they had to be written. It practically begged me to, if you get what I mean. I sometimes have the feeling the story is writing itself. **

**Well, enough babbling; enjoy the chapter!**

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><p><strong>Plane<strong>

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA - 1993**

She'd be home in an hour. Her plane would land in half an hour, and she'd be home thirty minutes. She'd be home soon.  
>I didn't know why I felt so anxious. I never felt like this before. Godric told me I was being ridiculous. She was twenty-eight. She was a grown-up, she was perfectly entitled to do whatever she wanted to.<p>

But that didn't rid me of the feeling of impending doom. Something was wrong. I just didn't know what it was. She'd been visiting Eric, something she did every three months.  
>When I had just found out they had kissed, I had been worried, but I soon realized those fears were unfounded. They were like brother and sister; they loved each other, but in a very good way.<br>Alex had graduated college summa cum laude, and now worked as a successful interpreter. She had her own business, but she preferred to live in our house, saying she needed us near her.

I was in the living room, attempting to watch the television, but my thoughts kept wandering off. I checked my watch again. Fifteen minutes. I flipped through the channels, stopping at a certain channels every few seconds. I finally stopped at CNN six o'clock news.  
>The news reader was blabbing on about some volcano who'd been extremely active. I listened for a while, trying to focus on what he was saying, but I just couldn't manage. Whatever it was, the feeling of impending doom wouldn't let go of me. I was about switch the channel again when the newsreader was interrupted by an emergency broadcast. A plane had exploded right after take-off.<br>No one had survived the all-consuming flames. They had not yet gathered all the names of the onboard passengers. The plane that had crashed was named Louisiana Air 831.

Suddenly it was as if my stomach plummeted to my feet. That was Alex's flight. It could not be.  
>I was dreaming. I had to be. It felt surreal.<br>Alex was fine. She was still with Eric. She had to be. I ran to the phone and called the airline. 'Good evening, Louisiana Airlines, how may I help you?' A young woman's voice rang out of the receiver.  
>'Hi, my name is Ariana Suvallos. I just saw the news, and it said something of a plane crash, flight 831. Is that right?' My voice trembled.<br>'I'm sorry, miss, I cannot give that information.' 'Please,' I said, my voice trembling more, 'My daughter was supposed to be on that flight. Alexandra Suvallos. Tell me she wasn't on the flight. Please . . .' The other side of the line remained silent. 'I will transfer your call to someone who can answer you properly, miss. I hope she wasn't on the flight, miss.' When she pushed a button, a silly little tune played that only increased my nerves.

After what seemed an eternity, a man picked up. 'Miss Suvallos?' 'Yes?' 'I checked, your daughter's name was indeed present on the passenger list. I am terribly sorry.' I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think.  
>The ground seemed to slip from under my feet and I felt like I was falling down and down into a bottomless abyss. 'Miss Suvallos?' I vaguely registered the man repeating my name over and over again.<br>The phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor. My legs trembled. I still couldn't remember how to breathe. I could not even remember why I should. I vaguely remembered my knees giving in, the wet of my tears on my cheeks, the pain as I hit the floor.  
>A door opened and closed behind me. Cold hands, comforting hands on my shoulders. Whispers, demanding to know what was wrong. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe, let alone talk. The hands helped me up and pushed me down on something soft. I blinked away the wet in my eyes. I felt numb.<p>

Slowly, Godric's face became clearer and clearer. His features were contorted with fear and worry. 'Ariana,' he whispered, it seemed to come from a different planet, 'Ariana, breathe. Focus, look at me.' I directed my eyes to his. I felt my breathing slow down. A relieved smile broke through his worry. I wondered how he could smile. I wondered how it was possible the world still turned. I wondered why it hadn't screeched to a halt. Did they not know my world had just exploded in my face? 'Now tell me what was wrong?' he said, rubbing his hand over my leg. I opened my mouth, to speak the unspeakable words. To verbablize in unbearable.  
>But I couldn't. Instead, I pointed at the television, still on CNN, still showing the images that had caused my world to collapse. Godric looked confused. What was there not to understand?<br>He turned to me; 'I don't get it.' I forced myself to answer. 'It was her plane. Alex was on that plane. . .'

And of that moment, minutes stopped being minutes. They lasted centuries. Therefore, every hour lasted longer than a lifetime of the earth. The only thing you can trust yourself to do is battle the seconds. The slow, agonizing, dreadful counts the time gave you every thousand years . When you had lived through one second, you had to start battling the next. And the thought of that what was unbearable would then stay forever, for how could time do its healing work when time itself was counteracting?

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><p>The field was crowded with people dressed in black, yet all wearing something skyblue - Alex's favorite color.<br>Despite the many people, one could've heard a pin fall. Everywhere you looked, you saw teared faces and make-up that had run.  
>In front of the crowd stood a white coffin, surrounded by dozens and dozens of flowers. Only two people stood by the coffin. Two young people, with a wise look in their eyes that did not suit their age.<br>The girl was taller than the boy, but not much. Many assumed these were Alex's younger brother and his girlfriend. There was no doubt that the boy was related to Alex. One only had to look at him once to see the likeness. There was absolutely no doubt that the boy and the girl were lovers. They leaned towards each other, perhaps involuntarily, exchanged glances every few seconds and held on to each other's hand as if it were a lifeline.

They had not said anything to the rest of the crowd throughout the funeral. They had not even spoken to each other. As the coffin was lowered into the grave, they left the graveyard, not looking back once. Hardly anyone noticed a tall, blonde man until he stepped forward to speak one last time.  
>He was about 6 foot 4, handsome, and obviously heartbroken by the loss. He spoke in a loud, clear voice. He asked the crowd to excuse Ariana and Godric - strange names, as it was said and whispered amongst the crowd - for they did not have the energy nor the heart to stay any longer.<br>He spoke of Alex with the greatest respect, and one could see the sadness in his eyes grow larger and larger, but never once did he stop because he could no longer keep his voice under control.

He introduced himself as Alex's older brother, but how could that be? Again murmers spread under the crowd. He hardly looked a day older than 23, 24. He ended his speech with turning to the coffin and whispering something in a foreign language, as it was recited by those on the first row, pressing a kiss on his hand and then pressing his hand to his heart.  
>The crowd then got the chance to pass the grave and throw a rose down. After everyone had passed the coffin and had greeted Alex one last time, the tall man stepped forward again, gathered a handful of sand and, after snorting loudly, emptied it in the grave.<p>

And then it was over. The funeral was over, as sudden as Alex's life. People chatted and laughed while walking away. Only Eric remained by the grave, but it was not until the gravediggers had closed the earth over Alex's coffin and had walked away that he broke. A bloodred tear ran down his cheek as he looked down on Alex's freshly dug grave. 'You should've stayed that one extra night, Alex,' he whispered, still refusing to adress her in English. He had been teaching her Swedish.  
>'One extra night and none of this would've happened. You would've been perfectly fine. I should've convinced you to stay.' More tears of blood ran down his cheeks. 'It's my fault. I should've somehow made you stay.'<br>He talked and talked and cried, but all it did was leave him feeling empty. Detached from the world. He had not known he could feel that way. He had not known how much he had cared for her. But now, in order to live, he had to let go of every bit of love he had ever felt for Alex. And that, just that, hurt more than losing her in the first place.

Hours later, he left the graveyard, feeling even emptier than before. Before he turned around, planning on never coming back to the wretched place, he turned around one more time, whispering, 'Farewell, Alex. Goodbye, little one.'

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><p><strong>I know, I know, I killed Alex, but it had to be done. I'm so sorry to everyone, most of all to Eric and Ariana and Godric, but Alex was done in that world.<br>****Now it is up to Godric and Ariana to learn how to live with the loss, something that will demand a large toll of the both of them. **

**I hope you liked the chapter anyway, so thanks for reading.**

**Please review!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	16. If I Lay Here

**If I lay here**

**DALLAS, TEXAS, USA - 2008**

Over time, he lapsed into what Stan and Isabel perceived as an apathetic state. He treated everything with little significance and retreated more into himself over the years. His aggression and keen sense had all but faded into passive silence. Even Ariana had problems perceiving his emotions. She had grown silent too, but she had shown how much she needed Godric to be there with her. If it were possible, he had grown to love her even more than he did already. But apart from that, he felt little anymore.

How unnatural everything about vampires was to his eyes. In the physical world, nothing lasted forever. Matter could not be created or destroyed and a vampire's immortality seemed to go against nature…even God himself. He found it harder to believe that he deserved Ariana's love. This was the arguing point between them. He had caused so much pain, suffering and death in the past, killed meaninglessly, just because he could, that it made him feel empty inside. It was an emptiness Ariana could not fill, an emptiness Alex's death had only increased. Ariana held on to her beliefs, that everyone deserved to be forgiven for their mistakes, and that everyone would find peace in the end.

After the Great Revelation, life had become . . . Easier, in some ways, and harder in others. It allowed Ariana to move outside without people staring at her. They still stared, but in a different way.  
>Now, almost 15 years after Alex's death, he found himself before a choice as heartbreaking and agonizingly painful as losing Alex.<p>

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><p>He faced five men, all wrapped up with silver chains, holding a wide range of lethal weapons to vampires. A man stepped forward, his hair combed back neatly, not a hair out of place. He had seen the man on TV before. Steve Newlin. 'What do you want?' He growled. The reverent opened his mouth to say something, but Godric caught a whisper between the men. 'This is great,' whispered a tall boy, 'we come for the chick and we get a real vampire.' Rage filled him, the odd urge to kill streaming through his veins. Newlin was still whining about Jesus and God and other bullshit. It could not hold his attention. They had come to harm Ariana. They would die.<br>But then he considered his vow to himself. Never to kill again without good reason. A good reason would be because his life depended on it – though that wasn't such a great factor – or when Ariana's life was in direct danger.

He retracted his fangs. What would it prove if he killed them? Perhaps, if he sacrificed his own life, it would undo the bad blood between humans and vampires. Perhaps they would see they were not all monsters.  
>He raised his hands. 'If I go with you, you will leave the others alone. They won't be harmed.' Newlin raised his eyebrows. 'Why would a soulless monster want to sacrifice himself?' Godric stepped up to Newlin and – somewhere deep down – was pleased to see the man shrink away. 'Maybe I'm not that soulless after all.<p>

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><p>I woke up feeling disoriented. I was on the sofa, a soft blanket pulled over my head, and an empty space where Godric's lap had been before. I looked around, seeing the sun hadn't risen.<br>So where was he? I sat up and ran a hand through my hair. When I stood up, I felt like a million years old. I heard raised voices in the common room, so I followed the noise there.

The scene I walked into was not unfamiliar, yet there was one element missing. Stan and Isobel were facing each other, both screaming at each other at the top of their voices. The only thing missing was Godric to stop them from ripping each other's head of. I frowned.  
>'Isobel, Stan,' I said, not even bothering to raise my voice. 'Where is Godric?' Isobel and Stan turned to me and the answer was written on their faces. That's why they had been fighting. 'What happened?' Isobel shook her head. 'We don't know. We have been looking for him for hours. He does not respond to any calls. We were just . . . discussing what to do next.' Stan – unusually quiet – nodded. 'I think it was the Fellowship. Who else would've taken a vampire?' I shrugged, feeling fear grow larger in my chest, like a monster, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. 'But if they can get a vampire like Godric,' I started, 'They can get anyone,' Isobel finished. 'That got us so worried.'<p>

I paced around, hands in my hair. 'What do we do now? What do you do when someone goes missing?' Isobel shrugged. 'I don't know. We should notify his progenies, perhaps they know where he is, but usually, when a vampire goes missing, nobody wants to find him. Or he does not want to be found. Either way, all we can do is try to trace his steps.' I nodded slowly, trying to think straight.  
>'I'll call Eric.' I added action to words and pulled my phone from my pocket. Eric was on speed dial, don't even ask why, and the phone only rang once when he picked up.<br>'Eric Northman,' he said. 'Eric,' I said, very well aware of Isobel's watchful gaze on my back, 'it's me.' His tone changed immediately. We had hardly spoken since Alex had died.  
>'What is it?' he asked. I swallowed. 'He's missing. We've looked everywhere; he's nowhere to be found. He doesn't answer his calls, and . .' I dropped my voice to a whisper. 'Eric, I feel weird. I'm scared. I can't lose him too. Do you know anything?' Eric replied softly. 'No, I don't. I have not spoken to him in years. Are you sure he's not just out hunting?' I swallowed back the tears of desperation and said, Yes. He doesn't reply to anything. Eric, something's wrong here, and I don't know what, but it scares the hell out of me. Help us find him, please,' I whispered. I heard Stan mutter something, but I ignored him.<p>

Eric agreed and said he'd do what he could. I hung up and looked at the two vampires that stared at me. 'Find him,' I said, 'I don't care what you have to do, or who you have to kill. Just find him!' Isobel and Stan muttered in agreement as I left the room, trying to suppress the feeling of fear.  
>All I could do now was hope he'd be found.<p>

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><p><em>One week later<em>

Eric had called. He had found someone who could help. He'd refused to give me more details over the phone and said that he would explain everything when he saw me. Before he hung up, he ordered me to eat properly. I told him I did.  
>I'd lied. I just couldn't bring myself to eating. I got nauseated if I even thought about food. I had spend most of the time in the house, locked up in the library, trying to keep myself from falling apart in worry and fear. Stan was all for raiding the Fellowship. Isobel had contained him for now, but his temper got worse every day. As did mine.<p>

I spend the entire day lurking in the bedroom, feeling horrible. The bedroom looked horrible. I hadn't cleaned up anything after myself. I ignored the many voices and the scraping of chairs. I honestly didn't care about anything anymore.  
>Suddenly the door opened. Eric walked in, sat down on the bed and examined my expression. 'You look horrible.' I shrugged and leaned back. 'I know.' His slid from my head to my toes and back. 'Why have you not been eating?' I looked away. Eric leaned forward. 'I brought a human telepath. Her name is Sookie. She is very good in solving ugly problems. I think she'll find Godric.' His gaze shifted from my eyes to the wall when he mentioned the girl, Sookie. I frowned. 'You like her.' He shook his head. 'She's not mine.' I smiled now. 'Since when do you care?' He grinned and grabbed both my hands, pulling me up.<br>'Come on,' he said, 'dress properly and say hi.' I smirked and grabbed a shirt of the floor. Eric quietly left the room and closed the door behind himself.

I pulled a comb through my bushy hair in a feeble attempt to tame the curls. My hair wasn't usually this curly, but I hadn't reallly been taking care of it since Godric went missing.  
>Yet now, I knew I had to make an appearance. I dressed in my favorite jeans and sneakers, but I couldn't find a shirt that wasn't really stinky or dirty. I cursed and kicked away the closest shirt. Well, I couldn't go meet them in my bra. Finally, I pulled a shirt from the closet, but it was quite low-cut. I only wore it once, on a date with Godric. I hadn't worn it since because I didn't really like feeling so . . . So sexy to other men than Godric.<br>Yet, I pulled it on and, after a glance in the mirror, I left the room.  
>I followed the raised voices to the main room, where I found the most unusual scene.<p>

Stan and Isobel were standing next to each other, facing a young girl in a red dress. She looked rather confident of herself, despite standing in a room full of vampires that could kill her before she could blink. Next to her stood a vampire, Bill Compton I believe, leaning one hand on the table.  
>Eric paced through the room, restless. 'You should've told me Eric had hired a fucking human, Isobel,' Stan said, a very disapproving look in his eyes. The girl, Sookie, stood her ground. 'Now wait just a minute,' she started.<br>'Respect her,' Bill Compton said. 'Thank you,' Sookie said. Isobel looked over her shoulder to Stan. 'I couldn't tell you Stan, you've been off on your own for days.' She was worried. I could see it in her attitude.  
>Sookie and Bill said nothing, but studied the scene as it unfolded before them. Eric asked, still pacing, 'Are you sure Godric was abducted by the Fellowship of the Sun?' Isobel and Stan answered together. 'Yes.' 'No.'<p>

'They are the only ones with the organisation and the manpower.' 'But they're amateurs. It doesn't make any sense,' Isobel countered, 'This is Godric we're talking about. Two thousand years old.' Sookie - obviously stunned - turned her head to Bill and mouthed 'Two thousand?'  
>In the mean time, Isobel and Stan continued their bickering. 'Old don't make you smart,' Stan said. 'Besides,' Isobel continued, 'There's no proof.'<br>Sookie intervened as I stepped into the room. No one noticed me just yet. 'If they got him, I'll hear it. That's my job.' 'There is no reason to wait, Stan said, 'we take these fanatics down, flat out attack. Exterminate them like the vermin they are, leave no trace,' he said, obviously smug.  
>'Hmm,' Isobel said, feighing interest, 'vampire hating church annihilated, wonder who did it? Fucking brilliant.'<p>

'I doubt the King of Texas would approve the destruction of our international political agenda,' Bill added, to great pleasure of Isobel who nodded in agreement. Stan rolled his eyes and answered, 'Fuck that. The Great Revelation was the biggest mistake we ever made.' Isobel turned around, enraged. 'Don't use Godric to make your own little power display.' Eric finally lost his temper - he'd lasted longer than I'd thought - and spat, 'You are completely incompetent! What has happened to Godric that he surrounds himself with clowns?'  
>Isobel approached him, showing her true colors. 'We invited you as a curtsey. This is not your territory. You have no voice here.' 'Yeah Sheriff,' Stan added, 'why don't run back down to Louisiana, we don't need you or your puppets.' 'I'm not going anywhere,' Eric said, to which Sookie added, 'And I'm nobody's puppet.'<br>'What we need is a plan,' Bill suggested. 'I have a plan,' Stan replied, getting riled up.  
>Isobel turned. 'It's not a plan, it's a movie.' That pissed Stan off. 'It is not a movie, it's a war.' Eric lost his temper, and turned away. 'Idiots,' he hissed before bumpin into me. 'Now. Bickered enough?' I said.<br>I walked further into the room. 'They're right. You are being foolish. Acting like children. This is not your call to make, Stan. Isobel.' It is mine. I wish for Sookie to try. If the Fellowship really does have him, I want them taken down. If not, we leave them alone. Understood?' Stan snarled.

'Fuck you, you little bitch. Just because Godric likes you doesn't mean I have to take fucking orders from you.' He jumped forward, but never reached me. I raised my hand and made a fist. Stan stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes bulging out and gasping for breath. 'Don't forget why you take my orders. Remember, Stan? Or do I have to throw you through another window?' He shook his head, humiliated. I released him. 'Now,' I said, turning to Sookie, 'a plan?'

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><p><strong>Hi guys,<strong>

**I guess there'll be a few more chapters after this one, three to five at least.  
>I hope you like it. <strong>

**Please do review and thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	17. Timebomb

**Timebomb**

**THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE SUN CHURCH – 2008  
><strong>_SOOKIE'S POV_

She hastily buttoned her dress and watched Godric. He held Gabe by the neck, a look of disgust on his face. 'Godric,' the huge man choked, 'Godric, it's me,' he whispered. With what seemed like an enormous effort, he snapped Gabe's neck and dropped him to the floor. Sookie cringed away at the soft thump as Gabe's now limp body fell to the floor.  
>'You should not have come,' he said. Before she could think of a proper response, they heard unmistakable vampire sounds and cries of humans. All she felt was relief. 'Bill,' she said and scrambled to her feet. Godric shook his head, something of a smile on his lips, 'No,' and he closed his eyes, 'I'm here my child, down here.'<br>There was another sound of a vampire moving at high speed and Eric flitted into the basement, a most curious look on his face. 'Godric,' he whispered and fell to his knees for him.  
>Sookie felt nothing but surprise as she watched the scene. Eric, falling to his knees for a boy? 'You were a fool for sending humans after me,' Godric said, looking around. 'I had no other choice,' Eric said, 'these savages,' he paused, 'they seek to destroy you.' He looked up. Godric looked undisturbed by this little piece of information. 'I am aware of what they have planned.' He turned to point at Hugo. 'This one betrayed you.' Sookie hastened to add to that. 'He's with the Fellowship. They set a trap for us.' Eric did not seem to be listening. 'How long has it been since you fed?' Godric answered while still looking at Sookie.<br>She felt uneasy under his gaze. 'I require very little blood anymore,' he said and shifted his gaze to Eric again.

Suddenly an alarm sounded. Both Godric and Eric looked up. 'Save the human,' Godric ordered, 'Go on.' Eric refused. 'I am not leaving your side until you –' Godric looked annoyed. 'I can take care of myself.' Sookie felt a sudden urge of panic take hold of her. 'We have to go,' she told Eric, running towards them, still fiddling with her dress. 'Spill no blood on your way out,' Godric ordered.  
>Eric did not move for a moment. 'Go,' Godric said, in a tone that clearly permitted no indulgence.<br>Eric finally got up and held out his arm for Sookie. She waited no longer and hurried out of the basement, up the stairs.

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><p><em>GODRIC'S POV<em>

He considered what he should do. Now that Eric had found him, there was no question of staying. He had merely refused to go with Eric and the girl because he needed time to think. They had messed up his plan. Though, if he were honest to himself, somewhere, he had known it wouldn't work anyway.  
>He wasn't fooling anyone with the good-vampire-behavior. He sighed deeply. What had he been thinking?<br>He calmly left the basement, ignoring the people that stared at him and waved with stakes. They were frightened, that he could sense.  
>He hadn't fed for more than a week, and his razorsharp senses were duller than usual. A boy jumped in front of him, waving the stake he was holding under his nose. 'I've got one!' the kid yelled.<br>Godric raised his gaze to the boy's eyes. His pupils dialated and narrowed again and he called, 'No, sorry guys. It was our man.'

Godric smiled to himself and wandered on through the church. As he turned to leave the church, he caught a fragment of a conversation. He stopped by the door and listened, curious. 'You see,' Newlin's voice sounded loud and clear, 'just as thirty pieces of silver betrayed our lord and saverior, so can a few ounces betray a child of Satan!' Godric rolled his eyes. Stupid, as usual. He almost missed the next part of the conversation.  
>He frowned when he heard Eric's voice. 'I . . . I offer myself in exchange for Godric freedom,' Godric hissed in disapproval, 'And the girl's,' Eric added.<br>Newlin's voice sounded loud in his ears. 'That's noble. But she's just as copable as you are. . .' Godric didn't listen anymore. He was pissed off. Seriously pissed off. He had not felt an emotion quite this strong for a long time.  
>He rounded a corner and reached a stairs. He considered what to do.<br>He could still walk away. He heard an uproar in the church. He had two options now, he considered as he listened to Bill Compton's yells.  
>Suddenly, the uproar changed. More voices were added. Chaos ruled as Godric recognized Stan's booming voice over all others. He really cursed now and flitted up the stairs.<p>

What he saw when he was finally on the top of the stairs was undiscribable. Vampires were all over the church holding humans by the neck, ready to rip out their troaths. He saw Bill Compton and the blonde girl from the basement, Sookie, trying to escape the rubble. Eric stood amidst the vampires and seemed profoundly lost.  
>He had to intervene before anyone would get killed. 'Enough,' he said, and all in the church froze. 'You came for me, I assume,' he said to Stan. Stan didn't react. 'Underling?'<br>'Yes, sheriff,' Stan growled. Godric breathed in. To keep calm and confident was all he could do now. Was what he had to do to fix the mess the fucking idiots had made.  
>'These people have not harmed me,' he continued, looking from face to face, 'you see, we can coexsist. Mr Newlin,' he added, adressing the man on the floor behind Eric directly, 'I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?'<br>Newlin spoke slow and deliberate, and what he said did not please Godric, who felt his anger rise more every passing second. 'I do not negociate with subhumans.' The man sat up on his knees before Eric and loosened his tie. 'Kill me,' he said, and someone amongst the people cried, 'No,' but he ignored it. 'Do it. Jesus will protect me.' Godric was, as usual, amused by the comment.  
>'I am actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could've known him, but I missed it.' He flitted through the church, moving too fast for even vampires to see before stopping behind Newlin and pulling the man to his feet by his neck. 'Good people,' he adressed the soldiers of the sun, 'who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?' An uncomfortable silence greeted his question.<p>

He actually felt sorry for Newlin as he said, 'That's what I thought. Stand down everyone.' Slowly, all the vampires still holding a human let go of them, and those on the floor got to their feet quickly. 'People,' he finally said, 'go home. It's over now.' Sookie buried her face in Bill's chest, whispering, 'Oh thank God, Bill.' Bill lay his arm around her and said, 'It's alright, you're safe now.' The scene made Godric's heart ache of longing.  
>It had been so long since he had held Ariana in an embrace like that.<br>People filed out of the church. Some lingered to watch but quickly left after a threathening look. Newlin uttered some words, pleas of help to those who were leaving him behind.  
>He pushed the man down on his knees, disgusted. 'I daresay my faith in humankind is greater than yours.'<br>He had nothing more to seek here. He walked from the altar, and said, 'Come,' in a clear voice. Eric immediately followed his steps. Stan approached him. 'Sir, he started with a slight smile, 'after what these humans have done to you-' Godric interrupted him. He had no patience for this. 'I said come.'  
>Stan reluctantly stepped aside. Godric listened to the low conversation between Bill and Eric. He smiled slightly. Eric fancied the blonde girl.<br>He left the church, not speaking to anyone until Eric caught up with him. Eric looked straight ahead for a minute before he spoke.

'You do realize Ariana will kill you for doing that, don't you?' Eric finally said, in Swedish, to keep their words private. Godric sighed and nodded. 'Oh yes, I am very well aware of her wrath awaiting me when I get home.'  
>Eric grinned and glanced over his shoulder to Stan. 'You can always use the big one as a shield. She doesn't like him.' Godric sped up and nodded. 'That I am aware of too.'<p>

* * *

><p><em>ARIANA's POV<em>

As I leaned back in an armchair in the library, trying very hard to relax, my phone rang.  
>It was Eric. I quickly answered it. 'Tell me you found him, please tell me you found him.' I could almost feel Eric smile on the other side of the line.<br>'We found him. He's fine. There are a lot of vampires coming over to the house to celebrate and greet him. He told me to tell you to stay in the bedroom or the library until we get there.' I frowned, not liking being pushed around like a puppet on a string. 'Why? I can handle a few vampires.' 'Ariana,' Eric's voice pleaded, 'Please. For just this once, do as I ask.' I snorted. 'Fine. But hurry up. I don't want to stay in here all night.' My words were greeted by the dull sound of the dial tone. Sighing I hung up and looked around, never having felt so relieved before. Even when Godric had almost burnt, so long ago, I had never felt so relieved to know he would be okay.I paced through the library, now feeling restless because I was to stay in here for a while. When Godric had been missing, the room had brought me comfort, peace. Now, all I wished to do was run outside to meet them as they came home.

I picked up the book and flipped the pages, never really reading. I could only think of the strange undertone in Eric's voice when he had said Godric was okay. I wondered what that could possibly have meant.  
>I sat down again and listened to the door open and close again and again and the voices grow louder and louder. I wanted to go and join them, but I kept my promise to Eric and Godric.<br>The minutes ticked by so slow, they seemed to last hours. Finally, after what seemed like days - fifteen minutes though - the door opened and Eric entered.  
>He looked somehow depressed, despite finding Godric. 'What is it, Eric?' He didn't answer me at first.<br>'He's diffferent. He doesn't same to care about anything. He stopped us from killing the bastards that took him.' I frowned. 'He did? That's not really like him.' Eric groaned. 'I know. I know.'  
>He looked at me. 'You look horrible. You haven't been eating at all, have you?' I didn't look at him and didn't say anything. He swore and grabbed my shoulders.<br>'Look at me. Don't you think we have enough problems without you starving yourself? Godric is fine, you should be glad,' he said.

I sighed. 'I know. It's just not that easy to deal with. When I'm worried, I get sick when I even think of food. When I do eat, I puke everything out again.' Eric cocked his head to side and bit his lip. 'Fine. Go inside. He's waiting.' I smiled at him before hurrying out of the library. The main room was packed with vampires and human companions. I followed my ears, leading me to where people stood in line to greet Godric and tell him how glad they were with his return. I scowled at Eric, who'd followed me in. 'Are you seriously going to make me stand in line to say hi to Godric?' He shrugged and smiled.  
>I scowled again and got in the line. Thankfully it was short. Apparently, I had been in the library for a long time.<br>I crossed my arms over my chest and tapped my foot impatiently when the girl in front of me stretched her welcome back just a little bit too long to my taste. A quick glance over my shoulder told me there was now none but me, Godric and Eric here.  
>I stepped forward and raised my eyebrows. He just looked at me, obviously trying not to laugh.<br>I had a whole speech ready. A tirade. I forgot all of it when his eyes met mine. Before either of us had done so much as blink, Eric gave me a little push in the back, making me trip forward, onto Godric's lap. Startled as I was, I took advantage of the situation and pressed my lips on his. Eric sniggered behind my back, but I really couldn't care less anymore. Godric's arms were around me, and I felt all well again.

As I leaned back to breathe - a neccesary disadvantage - he smiled at me, acting all innocent. I might not remember what I wanted to say to him, but I had not forgotten why I had prepared the entire speech. 'What were you thinking?' He sighed and looked away. 'Really?' I started. 'You're just going to pretend it didn't happen?' He refused to look at me. Sighing, I got up again, ignored Eric and turned to him again.  
>'You were missing for over a fortnight. I was worried sick,' when he still looked in the opposite direction, I strode up to him and forced him to look at me. I swear, sometimes, he was just like a kid. 'Godric. What were you thinking? They were going to end you. Give me a reason why I shouldn't. You made me believe I'd lost you too. You almost left me with just Eric.' A smile broke through on Godric's lips when Eric snorted loudly.<br>'I wasn't thinking,' he finally said. 'It was foolish.' Eric kneeled on Godric's side and looked at him inquiringly.  
>'I have not told you yet. The human has been dispatched. I told him not to stop driving until he reaches the mexican border. I have also arranged for an AB negative human for you. Extremely rare.' I smiled at Godric.<br>I was AB negative too, but because he refused to drink for me, he drank other AB negative.  
>'Thank you,' he started, 'but I am not hungry.' I frowned. 'Don't be stupid,' I said. 'Well, you'll have to feed eventually. I doubt the Fellowship had anything to offer,' Eric said with a smile. Godric did not reply to either of us. Eric's smile faltered.<p>

'Why wouldn't you leave when they first came for you?' Godric looked straight ahead, refusing to look at either of us. 'They did not treat me badly. You'd be shocked at how ordinary it was to them.' 'They do nothing but fan the flames of hatred for us,' Eric growled. This time, Godric did look at him. 'Let's be honest. We are frightening.' I was about to protest, but he put a finger on my lips, not looking away from Eric.  
>'After thousands of years we haven't evolved. We've just grown more brutal, more predatory. I don't see the danger in treating humans as equals. The Fellowship arose because we never did so.'<br>Eric didn't say anything. 'Is that why you wouldn't fight when they took you?' I asked, pulling his hand from my lips. He smiled wryly at me. 'I could've killed every last one of them within minutes.' He swallowed.  
>'Now what would that have proven?' To that, we didn't have an answer.<p>

* * *

><p>Later, I sat on a chair behind Godric, nibbeling from a snack Eric had pushed in my hands. I knew that if Godric knew how little I had eaten, he'd be seriously pissed off at me.<br>He was talking to Eric, catching up.  
>Eric was called by someone, thus leaving Godric and me alone. He slowly turned his chair around to face me. 'You haven't said anything to me all night,' he stated. I shook my head. 'I don't know what there is to say.'<br>He smiled wryly. I'm sorry if I hurt you. I'm that I did hurt you,' he corrected himself. I smiled.  
>'Godric. Please. You know I'm not mad anymore. I usually don't stay mad longer than five minutes. Not with you anyway.' He grinned, despite his gloomy mood. He leaned closer and pulled the remains of the cupcake I'd been nibbling off from my hand. 'I should have known you wouldn't eat again. You are just like a supermodel. Trying to starve yourself to get what you want. In this case me.' I groaned. 'Babe, don't overestimate yourself. I don't eat because I get sick when I am worried.' He frowned; 'You should not worry about me.' I leaned closer and kissed him. 'Yeah, I should,' I said when I leaned back.<br>Suddenly it was as if the sound in the room had dimmed. There were raised voices on the other side of the room. I got up and looked around the corner.

A young woman – a vampire no doubt – in a long red dress and far too much makeup was arguing with Bill Compton and his human.  
>Everyone in the room was looking at them. At that moment, the woman in red reached her hand for Bill's face. Sookie grabbed her hand and pulled it back.<br>I was impressed. Grins and sniggers sounded all through the room. Not many humans would be foolish or brave enough to do that. 'You do not touch him,' she spat.  
>Even Stan seemed impressed. 'My,' the red one replied, 'We're feisty too.' She pulled her hand loose. For a moment a loaded silence fell. Then the woman laughed, almost madly. 'You're no more than a blood bag,' she menaced, 'you cannot win this.' Sookie stood her ground though. I liked her more every passing second. It was not often one came across a human with her guts. 'I've already won,' she said, 'Bill chose me. And yet, you still won't give up. Have you no shame?' At this, Bill shot into action. 'Sookie, stop!'<br>'I'd listen to him,' the woman in red said. I startled when Godric stepped up directly behind me. 'Run away, little girl,' she said, 'William and I love each other.' Bill grabbed her arms and pushed her back. 'Have you gone mad? Get out, now!' He hurried to Sookie. She hurried forward, towards the woman in red, who looked positively shocked. 'Maybe you do love him, who am I to guess? But he doesn't love you. And that, we both know.' Bill tried to push Sookie back and keep the woman at bay at the same time.  
>She popped out her fangs. 'Take those words back, or they shall be your last.' I felt Godric stiffen behind me. Bill pushed Sookie back. 'We're leaving.' She, however, did not cooperate. 'Go find someone else you fucking bitch, you've lost this one.'<p>

The woman in red seemed to lose her temper for real now, pushed Bill away and threw Sookie on the bar, ready to bite. Sookie's brother, Jason I believe, started forward, as did I. Suddenly, Godric was in front of Sookie, holding the woman by her throat.  
>He slowly forced her back, until she hit the edge of the sofa. Eric and I were each on one side of Godric. I helped Sookie up and into Bill's arms. I turned back to Godric, wondering what he would do.<br>'Retract. Your. Fangs. Now.' He said. She did as he said quickly. 'I neither know, nor care who you are. But in this area, and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?' The woman looked at Godric, obviously scared of what he would do. 'Yes, Sheriff,' she finally said. Godric slowly let go of her throat.

The woman seemed to shrink. Godric turned. 'This human had proven herself a courageous and loyal friend to our kind.' Sookie seemed flattered. 'And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly. Pulling off wings for sport? No wonder they hate us.' The woman seemed ashamed of herself as Godric spoke. Yet she tried to justify her actions. 'She provoked me.' Godric smiled. 'And you provoked me. You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. But I haven't. Now why is that?'  
>She pursed her lips together before answering. 'It's . . . Your choice.' 'Indeed it is,' Godric stated. 'You're an old vampire, I can tell. You've had hundreds of years to better yourself and yet you haven't. You're still a savage. And I fear for all of us, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists.'<br>He turned to Bill. 'You,' he said. Bill stepped forward. 'You seem to know her?' Bill nodded, a painful look on his face. 'Yes Sheriff.' 'Escort her from the nest.' Bill turned to Sookie. She nodded. 'Go ahead. I'll be fine.' I stepped to her again and took her elbow. 'I'll stay with her.' He nodded. Godric turned to the woman again. 'I wish you out of my Area before dawn.' She got up and left the room, Bill Compton followed her.

Godric and I exchanged a glance before he returned to his seat. I turned to Sookie and smiled. 'Are you sure you're okay? I can get you a clean coat if you like.' She shook her head. 'Nah, it's okay. Can I ask you something?' I frowned, but nodded. 'Bill told me you're Godric's human. But . . . You said you've been with him forever. How? You're not that old. You look no older than seventeen.' I smiled. 'I'm an immortal. I come from a long line of immortal humans. We have a little something extra in our blood that enables us to live forever.' Sookie frowned. 'Never heard of that.' I smiled. 'That's possible. Most people don't know.' Sookie smiled. 'Can I ask you another something?' I grinned. 'Sure.' 'Does he love you?' I nodded. 'I sure hope so. Otherwise he's really good at faking it.' She frowned. 'But how do you know? For sure, I mean?' I laughed. 'I've been with him for more than a thousand years. If he just wanted me for my blood, he would have to drink it more often.' Sookie smiled. 'Doesn't he?' I shook my head. 'He hasn't since. . . Since he almost killed me. He didn't know what he was doing. He hasn't forgiven himself.' 'When was that?' I screwed my eyebrows. 'When we'd known each other a month. Give or take a few.' She smiled politely and turned around when her brother tapped her shoulder. I smiled and excused myself. I smiled at Godric and Isobel when I passed them and went to talk to Katherine, an old friend of mine.

A few minutes later, our talk was interrupted by a young man. He was very pale. I didn't know him. He was probably one of the human companions. He walked right past me and stopped just a few feet before me.  
>'Excuse me everyone,' he called. Conversations halted and everyone stared at him. I saw Godric and Isobel appear from behind the wall. 'If I could have your attention. My name is Luke McDonald and I'm a member of the Fellowship of the Sun.' These words were greeted with many hisses from the present vampires. 'And I have a message for you all from reverent Steve Newlin.' He zipped open his jacket and revealed a bomb strapped to his chest, silver chains wrapped around it. Instinctively, I raised my hands and backed away. Before we could do more than that, he pushed the button.<p>

A bright white light obscured my eyes. And then there was nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh yes, we are closing in on the end of the story, however much I might dislike that fact.<br>Please, people, review the chapters and story, let me know what you think; even if you don't like it!**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	18. Gone

**Gone**

He stood amongst the rubble, listened to the moans of the wounded, the sobbing of the living over the dead. Isobel crawled around on her hands and knees, looking for the dead. Her carefully structured hair was now loose and sticky. He looked around, feeling dazed. The house had been blown to shreds.  
>The vampire he had sent outside, Bill Compton, ran inside, yelling for the human. Sookie. Godric looked around, trying to locate Ariana. She had been near the explosion. He hid his worry from the others with every bit of self-control he could manage. As he had once told Eric, a vampire dominates his emotions.<br>Isobel had finally stood up and approached him. 'Who's dead?' he asked in a dull tone.  
>She sighed and answered, 'Stan, Paolo, Katherine, two human companions.' He nodded, still feeling . . . Indifferent. 'Call the hotel. Tell them what has happened and tell them we will be there in a short while.' She nodded and stalked off to the other side of the house that had been mostly shielded from the explosion.<p>

He stepped over bodies, never looking at the faces. He could not bear to see another he had once known and loved amongst the dead. He had lost that ability when Alex had lost her life in the plane crash. All he now held and loved was Ariana, but even she, who held his heart forever, could not erase the pain Alex's death had left in him. Not until that moment had he realized the full consequences of his actions. People he had killed had families, loved ones. He had inflicted this pain and suffering on others for a thousand years and longer, and he now paid the price. Alex had paid the price.  
>And now this. Ariana was still nowhere to be seen, and he began to feel more worried, even frightened every second.<p>

He spotted a hand underneath a large pile of rubble. A hand with a small golden ring at its finger. He felt relieved and even more terrified at the same time. As he flitted there, there was no doubt that it was Ariana under the wall. He tore away the brick stones and quickly revealed Ariana's badly wounded body.  
>Her nose was broken, her skin was bruised, one of her legs stuck out in a very unnatural angle and she was hardly breathing. He smelled her blood as it spilled from the wounds and cuts on her arms and legs, but for once, he didn't feel the urge to drink from her. He fell to his knees next to her.<br>He wiped her hair, that seemed to be everywhere, from her face. 'Please,' he whispered, 'Please, not you too. I cannot live without you.' Then he saw her breathing. Slow, barely visible, but present. He quickly arranged her leg the way it was supposed to be and straightened her nose.  
>He cut open his wrist, not even wincing and pressed it to her lips. She didn't drink. He cursed softly and pried her mouth open. She didn't react at all. The bite in his wrist had healed again, so he had to cut it open again.<p>

He balled up his hand into a fist and let the blood drip on her lips and down her throat. Some of the bruises healed. He breathed in deeply, trying to keep his temper and let more of his blood slip down her throat. Slowly but surely all the wounds and injuries seemed to heal. However, unlike before, Ariana did not wake up instantly, nor did she give any signs of life whatsoever. The color had returned to her cheeks, and she did look like she was alive, but she was too still, too dead. He bit back another curse and lifted her, carried her back to the main room, lay her down on the floor carefully minding the large bruises and the injuries that were not yet healed.  
>Isobel caught up with him. 'I have called. They said we were expected.' He nodded. She stepped into the large open circle in the middle of the survivors, and said, 'Everyone, please.' There was no reaction, but the young boy, Jason Stackhouse, he thought, stepped up and called, 'Hey y'all! Listen up!'<p>

As everyone turned in his direction, he stepped forward to Isobel's side and spoke in a soft, calm voice. 'Go to the Hotel Carmilla. They have been notified. Security is in place.' There was a moment of silence before muttering broke out amongst the living and the shuffling of many feet sounded as everyone left the house, leaving one by one. Eric remained last.  
>'Eric,' Godric said, when Eric wanted to leave too, 'Take her to the hotel. Bring her to my room and make sure she's okay before you leave. I must deal with this.' Eric nodded and carefully lifted Ariana's limp body. As he turned, Godric spoke one more time. 'Eric, do not touch her. As your Maker, I command you.'<br>Eric made a face and replied, 'Yes, Godric,' before leaving Godric utterly alone amongst the ruins of his house.

Godric's phone rang. He picked up, making a face when he recognized the number. 'Yes, miss Flanagan?'

* * *

><p>I tried to smile. I tried to remember. My mind was oddly blank. I knew he was worried, I knew he was scared. I also knew he wasn't here. What I didn't know, however, was where I was or what had happened.<br>I knew I wasn't in the house anymore. I knew that because my ceiling was white. Pure white.  
>The ceiling I was staring at wasn't white. I couldn't make out exactly what color it was, but I knew it wasn't the white I knew.<br>The ground I lay on was too soft to be the floor of my house. But if it wasn't my house, where I was supposed to be, where was I? I blinked. My surroundings – too blurred to make out at first – got clearer and I saw a television on the opposite wall. It was on a news channel, the newsreader going on about a suicide bomber in Dallas.  
>It was ridiculous. If there had been a suicide bomber in Dallas, would I know about it? I shrugged it off, focusing on where I was again. I considered sitting up and looking around, but there was just something warning against that. I tried to wiggle my toes and winced when a jolt of pain shot through my right leg.<br>I moved up, carefully not moving my legs. I didn't know what to expect. Everything ached. Even my face was extremely sensitive. Now that I was sitting up, I recognized the luxurious room of Hotel Carmilla.  
>Eric sat in a chair in front of the television, snorting every now and then.<p>

Slowly , memories seemed to seep back into my head. Flashes, scenes flashed before my eyes. A young boy. The party. A bright white light and . . . Nothing.  
><em>Godric,<em> I thought, a sudden wave of panic taking hold of me. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed to get up, forgetting about the pain I had felt earlier when I tried to wiggle my toes. I cried in pain – startling Eric – when my right leg made a horrible cracking noise. I fell back on the bed, clutching my leg, tears running down my cheeks, hoping the pain would somehow stop. Eric shot up and helped me back onto the bed. 'You startled me,' he said as I lay down on the bed again. He bent over my leg, examining it carefully. He whistled through his teeth. 'It's still broken. I hoped it would've healed by now. And,' he added, glancing up at my face, 'I'm sorry.' I frowned. 'For what?' He placed his hands around my knee and turned it a quarter to the right, so fast I hardly even saw it. I felt it though. I cried again and cursed loudly. He let go and softly replied, 'For that.'  
>I slumped back onto the pillows, breathing heavily, and asked, 'Is Godric okay? Where is he?' Eric smirked.<br>'Of course he's okay. Who else would be mad enough to go looking for you under the debree?' I pushed myself up. 'You didn't answer my question. Where is he?'  
>Eric shrugged. 'I don't know. He said he had to deal with something before he came here. He told me to wait here until he'd get here. In case you would be stupid enough to go jumping around. Which, apparently, you are.'<p>

I made a face and threw a pillow at his head. He dodged it and grinned. 'You're fine then. How's your leg?' I shrugged. 'Fine. Don't feel a thing.' He frowned. 'Sure. He'll kill me for letting you do that.' I smiled. 'I'll tell him not to.' Eric smiled too.  
>I looked around. 'Am I allowed to get up?' He shook his head. 'With that leg? Are you insane?' I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to look stern.<br>'Then you give me a glass of water.' He raised his eyebrows. I sighed. 'Please?' He smiled and handed me a large glass. I drank it, spilled half of it over my shirt and coughed loudly. Eric took the glass from my hand and put it on the bedside table. 'Look what you did.' I looked down on my shirt – drenched and sticky – and sighed.  
>The door opened and Godric walked in. I almost jumped from the bed – with the broken leg – to get to him, were it not that Eric held me down. Godric looked horrible.<br>His clothes were dirty, he was covered from head to toe in dust and there were dirty black stripes all over his cheeks.

'Godric,' I breathed, still trying to push Eric away. Godric nodded. 'Thank you Eric. You can go.' Eric shot a warning look at me before getting up, looking at Godric intently and leaving the room. I sat up immediately, but he sat down next to me, making sure I wouldn't get up. 'Godric, are you alright?' He looked at me, a pained, agonized look in his eyes. 'You almost died today. Again. Why would you worry about me?'  
>I stroked his cheek. 'Because I love you. More than anything. Don't you ever pull another stunt like the one with the Fellowship. I couldn't live without you.' His expression was even more agonized. 'I don't deserve your love. I don't deserve you. I never did.'<br>I kissed him, holding him close, feeling the wet of his tears on my cheeks and tasting the salty taste on my lips as he kissed me back.  
>His hands slid under my shirt, and I shivered under his touch. 'I shouldn't do this,' he whispered to my lips, 'I haven't fed. I shouldn't. . .' I silenced him with a kiss.<br>'I really couldn't care less right now.' He kissed me again, pushing me down on the pillows. As he ran his hand over my body, pushing me further down on the bed. As he accidently leaned on my leg, I cried in pain. He quickly jumped off the bed, apologizing over and over again. 'I'm so sorry. I told you it wasn't the best idea. Is your leg still broken?' I nodded. 'I got up to fast. Don't blame Eric; he didn't know I was awake.'  
>Godric examined my leg thoughtfully. He bit his wrist and held it out to me. I shook my head. He insisted. 'You need it. Take it.' I made a face. 'Why do I have to?' He smiled sadly. 'Because your leg hurts.' 'No it doesn't.' He stroked my cheek and pressed a soft kiss on my lips. 'Yes it does. Take it.'<p>

Scowling, I pulled his arms closer and pressed it to my lips. He encouraged me without words. I closed my eyes and drank. It was filthy. It even tasted good. But the thought of it repulsed me. The idea of Godric knowing what I felt, whenever I felt it was disturbing. I felt the pain in my leg slowly fade away. I pushed his arm away. 'Enough. I've had enough.'  
>He nodded and wiped his arm on the sheets. 'Godric,' I said, trying to sound reproachful. He smiled. 'What? The sheets are raddled with donor blood all the time. Why not mine?' I opened my mouth, but I couldn't think of a proper answer.<br>He smiled, got up and pulled his shirt over his head. I frowned. 'What are you doing?'  
>He frowned. 'Taking these rags of me and take a shower. What did you think I was going to do.' I smiled. He assessed my answer within seconds. 'Never mind. I shouldn't have asked.' I got up and copied his moves. He frowned. 'Now what are you doing?' 'I am taking these rags of me and take a shower. What did you think I was going to do?'<br>Still frowning, he slid his arms around my waist. 'I'm not sure the shower will be big enough for the both of us.' I bit my lip. 'I'm sure there is plenty of room.'  
>He kissed me, made me forget all about the blown up house, my broken leg and everything.<p>

* * *

><p>We were in a common room. Nan Flanagan sat right next to Godric, who sat right next to me. The minute she'd walked through the door with her bodyguards, I knew I didn't like her. Bill Compton, Sookie, Eric and Isobel were also present, because we had all been there when the boy – Luke – had blown himself up.<br>Nan was enraged. Godric was uncharacteristically quiet and just let whatever insults she threw at his head wash over him.  
>'Do you have any fucking idea of the PR-mess you've made? And who has to fucking clean that shit up? Me. Not you. Me. I should drain every one of you bastards.' I leaned forward, not really paying attention to Nan. Godric seemed off his game, and that worried me. Isobel however, seemed offended.<br>'Stan went for the church on his own', Eric replied, 'None of us knew anything about it.'  
>Nan raised her eyebrows. 'Oh really? Because everyone who met Stan in the last three hundred years knew that he had a kink for slaughtering humans, but you, his nest mates, his Sheriff, had no clue.' Isobel looked up. 'And how were we supposed to know that this time, he meant it?' Nan shook her head. 'Not my problem.' She looked at Godric. 'Yours.' 'Don't talk to him that way,' Eric snarled. I couldn't keep my mouth shut anymore. 'Isobel is right. Stan talked about killing humans all the time. How were we to know he was serious?' Nan cocked her head to the side. 'I don't care. You're not a vampire. So shut your fucking mouth, you little fangbanger.' Eric sat up straight. 'Don't talk to either of them that way.' She looked at him. 'Don't talk to me that way.'<br>For a moment, a loaded silence fell. Then, Nan spoke. Again.  
>'Let's get to the point. How they managed to abduct you.' I bit my lip. I knew she would think he was insane if he told her the truth, which he probably would.<br>He finally looked up. 'They would've taken one of us sooner or later. I offered myself.' Nan was dumbstruck. 'Why?' 'Why not?' 'They wanted you to meet the sun and you were willing?' 'What do you think?' 'I think you're out of your mind. And then I hear about a traitor?' 'Irrelevant,' Godric said before anyone else got the chance. 'Only a rumor. I'll take full responsibility.' I squeezed his arm. 'Godric…'  
>He glanced at me and back to Nan. 'You bet you will.' Eric looked at her coldly. 'You cold bitch.'<p>

'Listen,' she said, turning to him, 'this is a national vampire disaster. And nobody at the top has any sympathy for you.' She turned to Godric. 'Sheriff, you fucked up, you're fired.' My mouth fell open, and I wanted to protest, but Godric spoke. 'I agree. Of course, Isobel should take over. She had no part in my disgrace.' I was too stunned in disbelief to say anything. Isobel leaned closer. 'Godric, fight back.' 'She's a bureaucrat,' Eric almost shouted, 'You don't have to take shit from her.' Nan turned to him.  
>'Do you want to lose your Area, Viking?' Eric laughed it away. 'You don't have that kind of power.' 'Hey,' she said with a smile, 'I'm on TV. Try me.'<br>Isobel interrupted. 'I'm to blame. I should've contained Stan the second Godric went missing.' 'Isobel,' Godric said. 'I remove myself from all positions of authority.' 'Works for me,' Nan replied dryly. Sookie shifted, leaning forward. Bill put a hand on her shoulder.  
>'Sookie.' 'I owe him,' she said. 'Miss Flanagan? Godric rescued me from a really large rapist, who probably would've killed me too.' 'That's nice,' Nan said, 'Moving on.'<br>'No, listen,' Sookie said. 'and then he rescued humans in that church, plus a whole lot of vampires. You think it's PR-mess now? It could've been a hundred, a million times worse.' I felt my cheeks getting warm. That did sound like Godric. 'You should thank him.'  
>Nan raised her eyebrows. 'For getting kidnapped? For attracting a suicide bomber? For piss poor judgement? I think not.' Eric jumped up, as did Isobel and I. Isobel to hold Eric back, me to catch Nan by the throat. 'Don't you dare speak of him that way, or I'll show what this fucking little fangbanger can do.' 'Eric,' Godric sat, not even moving, 'Don't. It doesn't matter.' He grabbed my wrist. 'Sit down, Ariana.' Slowly, I let go of Nan's throat and sat down next to Godric again. Eric backed away and Bill and Isobel relaxed.<p>

'Tell me about the bombing,' Nan ordered. 'Every single detail.'  
>Godric sat up straighter and breathed in. 'A boy walked in the layer. I thought he was someone's human companion.'<p>

* * *

><p>Godric looked around. He still felt indifferent when he lost the position of Sheriff after holding it for thirty eight years but when he paused and apologized to everyone—Eric, Isabel, Nan Flanagan, Bill Compton, and his human companion Sookie, Ariana—he felt a lifetime worth of guilt spilling from his lips. Ariana had been waiting for him in his suite, knowing exactly what he was up to, even though he had tried to keep his pain hidden from her.<br>'There's nothing I can do or say, is there?' She'd said, tears running down her cheeks.  
>He shook his head. 'I've had enough.' She nodded and looked down at her hands. Not until that moment did he see the knife she was holding. Not until that very moment did he realize that she was not planning on living without him. 'What are you doing?' He said, sitting next to her and softly prying the knife from her grip. 'I can't, Godric. I don't see why I should. If you . . What would I have to live for? If you think two thousand years is enough, what am I to say? My age is at least double to that.' An agonizing pain took hold of him. He couldn't let her die; he wouldn't. 'I know. But you deserve to live. I don't.' 'Godric,' she whispered, but he silenced her with a kiss. 'I can't let you die because of me, Ariana. I love you too much; I'll do whatever it takes to keep you alive.' She laughed joylessly. 'Even you could, you'd still be dead. You'd make me live without you. Why would you be so cruel?' He shook his head, trying to hide his tears. 'I don't know.'<br>She cupped his face in her hands. 'Godric, I will find a way. Even you, even Eric couldn't guard me all the time. I will make myself suffer for losing you.' He shook his head. 'NO! No. You won't. I'd rather kill you myself than let you do that.' She didn't say anything.  
>'Okay,' she whispered, 'Okay. Do it.' She shook her hair from her neck. 'If you don't, I'll find someone else. A newborn.' He gazed at her. 'Why? Why are you doing this?' 'Because I have lost as much as you have! More! If you get to kill yourself, why don't I?'<p>

He breathed in deeply, popping out his fangs when her scent reached his nose. He leaned closer. He meant what he had said; he'd rather kill her himself than letting some newborn beat her, rape her and then kill her. She breathed in deeply. His fangs were inches from her skin. 'Godric,' she whispered, 'I love you.' He closed his eyes. 'Not as much as I love you,' he whispered, before sinking his fangs into her neck.

* * *

><p>Now, as he stood on top of the roof, regret seized him on the spot. He had been stupid to refuse to meet Eric again. He was stupid to have let Alex take the flight on her own. To take Ariana's life, drink from her, knowing he would kill her. He could have saved her in so many different ways but ultimately failed.<p>

Eric, as expected, came after him and fiercely pleaded him to live but not even that could move his decision. If Eric had talked to him before he had drank Ariana's blood, maybe he would've been persuadable. But now, nothing mattered. A vampire's existence, he explained to his progedy, was unnatural and not one member of their race were meant to live for so long. 'But we a_re _here!' Eric all but shouted. His blue eyes were narrowed in frustrated rage and grief. 'You're the one who told me there was no right or wrong, only survival...or death.' Inside, something in Godric seemed to wither and freeze as the ghost of Stan repeated those words to Godric after Alex's funeral. '...I told a lie. As it turns out.'

'_Godric._' 'Go back.' He calmly ordered as Eric dropped to his knees in supplication and grief. '...as your maker...I command you. And go to my suite. Ariana'll be on the bed. She'll be an inch of death. Give her your blood. Save her.' Then, after much protest and with great reluctance, Eric left, but Godric was not alone when he died. Sookie insisted in accompanying him and even though he told her that it wouldn't take long, not at his age, she refused to leave. They carried on a brief but meaningful conversation, often falling into deep pauses as they waited for the sun to rise. When she asked him about the inevitable pain, he smiled. 'I _want _to burn.'

'But...' Sookie trembled.

Of course, she didn't understand. She didn't know that to him, death was going to be a welcome relief. That's when he saw it—the tears. They pooled around the whites of her eyes and fell from her lashes like evanescent gems. 'A human with me at the end…and human tears.' Godric whispered in amazement and for a moment, he felt the weight on his shoulders lift. 'Two thousand years and I can still be surprised.' Throwing Sookie one last look of gratitude, he took one last breath of night air and turned to the horizon. He gestured to her to back away.

The last time he had seen a sunrise had been the day he was turned. He remembered that day clearly: a pure golden ball hung covered in grey clouds. It had been his last image as human. Now it would be his last image as a vampire. But this sunrise was different. The skies were tinged in rose and violet while a ribbon of gold announced the sun's ascendance. Dallas buildings were still black with shadow and seem to fall back against the beauty of the sky. The image, so different from what he saw long ago, reminded him of something. Ariana had often said she wished they could one day see the sun rise together.

He closed his eyes and felt her small hand close over his, her fingers waving into his. Imagination though it might've been, it brought him the peace he had long lost and had searched for for decades, centuries, millennia. 'I love you,' he whispered in his native tongue. Then just as the first morning rays hit his body, they consumed his skin in a hot blue flame leaving nothing but ash to where he had stood.

Death, indeed, brought naught but peace.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes people, it happened. When I started writing this, I always hated that I would have to write about his death too. Well, here it is. I don't know why but everytime I watch the episode, I cry. When I wrote it, I cried even harder. <strong>

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
>All I have to add is: REVIEW please! <strong>

**Thanks for reading!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	19. When You're Gone

**When You're Gone**

I've never really been a sucker for love songs. Nor do I like romantic movies. All too predictable. But how my life, my struggle, my romance would be, was something I never could've guessed.  
>What was there for me now? Alex was dead. Godric was gone. Nothing mattered anymore. Eric had saved my life. I wasn't grateful. I didn't want to live.<br>Alex's death had hurt. Godric's death was . . . Agony beyond something I could describe. Beyond anything I could handle. Though I held his heart forever, as he had promised, mine was gone. Missing. Lost forever. Being run over by a bus, fall out of an airplane and being stabbed by a dozen knifes would not hurt as much as his death did.

Isobel and I had returned to the house, or what was left of it. She had made a few phone calls and hired a crew to come and fix the damage.  
>I didn't care anymore. I spent most of the time in the library and what had once been my bedroom. Luckily, the library had been unscathed by the explosion. Books had fallen off the shelves, but that was the worst of it. Alex's room was completely destroyed.<p>

You know, I really tried. I tried to live again. I tried to continue.  
>I couldn't. I'd lived without Godric before. As I told Isobel – who I had genuinely grown to care for – this time was different. Before, I had always known, deep down, that he would come back. He couldn't stay away. And now, he just couldn't come back.<br>And he had chosen to die rather than to live again. We could've started over. But he didn't want to. According to Isobel, that had upset me the most. That he had chosen death over me. Maybe it had. What was wrong with that? He had always chosen me. Always. Maybe I couldn't deal with the fact that this time, he hadn't.

Maybe my heart was just broken beyond repair. I don't know.  
>I don't know anything anymore.<p>

* * *

><p>'Ariana,' Isobel said, leaning to the doorframe. 'It's past midnight. You should be sleeping.' I grimaced. 'You should be doing something vampire-ish. So leave me alone.'<br>The doorbell rang. We both looked up, surprised. Isobel straightened and looked over her shoulder. 'Go,' I said, 'open the door.' She nodded and flitted to the door.  
>I got up too as my curiosity got the upper hand. I was dressed in a ragged jogging and a tight top. I walked through the corridor and saw Isobel talking to someone who was still outside. She blocked my view though. She turned around. 'Good, you're here. There's someone here to see you. And seeing as the house is yours, you'll have to decide to invite her in or not.' I frowned.<br>She stepped aside and my mouth fell open. Nan Flanagan stood on my doorstep.

She nodded. 'Ariana.' I bit my lip. Then I walked to the door and slammed it in her face. She wasn't all too easy to get rid of though. She knocked again. 'Look, I just want to talk. I have a favor to ask of you.' I exchanged a confused glance with Isobel.  
>I opened the door. 'Really? Give me one good reason.' She eyed me carefully. 'Because I want you to tell the people your side of the story; all of it.' My mouth fell open.<br>'Why would I do such a thing?' She folded her hands and looked down. 'Because no matter how much I disliked him, Godric wasn't a bad guy. He was one of the good ones. People need to hear the other side of it. They'll never believe a vampire. But you, a human, they'll believe you.'  
>I laughed scornfully. 'So you just want to use my misery to make vampires looked better? I can't believe you.' I wanted to slam the door shut again, but this time, Isobel stopped me. Incredulously, I stared at her.<br>'Maybe she's right. Godric does deserve to be heard. Would you not do that for him?' I swallowed. 'Okay. Fine. Miss Flanagan,' I said, 'Would you like to come in?'  
>She smiled and walked in. A man with a camera followed her.<p>

Isobel pointed to the new, smaller living room. 'Why don't you and your friend go and have a seat?' She turned to me. 'Take a shower. Get dressed.' I scowled but did as she said.

When I re-entered the living room, now fully dressed and showered, the set-up had greatly changed already. The sofa had been moved in front of the fireplace, the camera directly opposite. Nan and Isobel had sat down on the sofa behind the camera. They were both holding a wineglass filled with dark blood. Nan turned around.  
>'Ah,' she started, 'perfect. Loose dark hair, slight curl in it, little makeup, simple clothing.'<br>I frowned. Isobel tried to smile encouragingly.  
>I forced a smile on my face and turned to Nan. 'Where do you want me?'<br>She gestured to the sofa. 'Just make yourself comfortable.' I sat down and shot a thankful glance at Isobel, who'd made a cup of hot tea with honey for me. I sipped from it and sat up straight. 'So,' I said, 'Let's get started, shall we?'

* * *

><p>Once I had started, it was easier than I had thought. Nan had set up a live video chat with reverent Newlin and his wife. They had agreed to speak to me, as I was human.<br>The broadcast was to start in thirty seconds.  
>Nan counted down with me. 'Three, two, one.' I breathed in deeply.<br>'Hi everyone. My name Ariana. First thing I should tell you is that I'm human. And . . . I would like the opportunity to tell you about my life, and how vampires changed that.' Newlin laughed. 'My dear, no one is interested in your love life with vampires.'  
>I forced a smile on my lips. 'I only came because the vampire I loved is dead. And I . . .' I swallowed back tears, 'I want everyone to know there is such a thing as a good vampire.' Newlin's wife, a blonde girl, spoke now, 'Please, there is no such things. Vampires are evil creations of Satan. They should be destroyed. All of them.'<br>I leaned forward. 'Created by Satan? You stick by that?' They nodded. 'Do you read the Bible? Do you believe in God?' 'Of course we do. What a preposterous thing to suggest.'  
>I smiled now. They were idiots. 'Then you should know as well as I do that Satan does not create. He destroys. He breaks. But he does not create in any way. Every creature on earth is created by God. That, you should know too.'<p>

A silence fell as I felt great about my triumph. 'Well,' the woman finally blurted out, 'What would you know? A seventeen-year-old girl.' At this, I actually laughed.  
>'Yes, that brings me to the second thing I should tell you about me. I'm immortal. I am four thousand five hundred and seventeen years old. I'm probably the last of my kind. I'm human. Just a little bit extra.' I breathed in. 'I'm Greek of origin. I lived in a small village with all that were left of my kind. I will not give you details. I met a vampire. He saved my life. I fell in love with him. He fell in love with me.' Steve Newlin laughed hard and coldly. 'Vampires don't love. He must've had a taste for your blood.' I laughed now.<br>'Godric has only once tasted my blood. He nearly killed me. He has never forgiven himself for almost doing that. In the following years, he refused to drink from me. He's been with me for over a thousand years, and he never drank from me again.' Newlin's mouth hung open. I smiled sadly. 'We started a new life after the war. We were happy. We have lived in Dallas for almost a century. Until the Fellowship of the Sun came along.' I raised my hands. 'Now hold your comments. I know vampires can be frightening. I know they can be dangerous. But tell me, honestly, does any of you seriously believe that because one or two vampires did bad things, all of them should be punished? Isn't that a lesson you are taught in kindergarten? Just because one girl in a red coat does something bad, doesn't mean all of them will.' Sara Newlin stared at me through the webcam. 'A few weeks ago Godric went missing. I was sick with worry. We looked for over a fortnight. We hired a girl who said she could find him. She went to the Fellowship, to figure out if they had him. Do you know what they did to her?' Steve started to protest, but I held up my hand to silence him. 'They locked her in a basement for two days. She hadn't done anything. Then they sent a rapist after her. I'm not going to deny anything that happened next. Godric pulled the man of her before he could rape her. He killed him. His friend, Eric, came looking for him. Godric sent the girl and Eric away, told them not to spill blood on their way out. The only thing they wanted was to leave. And you,' I pointed at Newlin, 'refused to let them.' I felt my anger rise, but managed to control it. 'I don't know what happened exactly. I wasn't there. But I know that Godric stopped twenty-four vampires from killing everyone in that church. They left you in peace.' Newlin shouted, 'They were going to kill us! They're monsters! They killed my father!' I rolled my eyes. 'Be that as it may, you fail to mention that, when Godric offered you the deal; leave them in peace, they'll do the same; you told them you wouldn't negotiate and that you wanted Eric to kill you. We left. We didn't hurt anyone.  
>And then, the suicide bomber you sent to blow up a house full of vampires, nearly killed me too. You blew up my house. Killed seven of my friends. Destroyed my life, just because you don't like the way I lived it. Godric died, because you took everything we had. You took everything I had. So please do tell, reverent Newlin. How does God feel about murderers and thieves?'<p>

* * *

><p>I was alone in my room again. After the interview, Nan had thanked me and taken off – thank god – immediately. I thought telling people might ease the pain. It did, but not in the way I thought it would. I felt hollow. Empty.<p>

I looked at the bottle of sleeping pills in my hands. I wanted to take them all, but I wasn't sure. I hadn't called Eric. I hadn't told Isobel. They'd try to stop me.  
>I swallowed and put the bottle down. I pulled out my phone and called Eric's cell. It went straight to voicemail. 'Eric Northman.' I swallowed. 'Hi Eric. I know you're going to hate me for doing it. But I have to. I can't anymore; it's enough. I'm done. I'm so empty. It hurts so bad and I can't anymore. I'm so sorry. Bye.' I hung up and tried not to cry as I unscrewed the top of the bottle. I dumped the contents of it in my hand. I swallowed and poured the pills in my mouth. I took the bottle of water and swallowed all the pills.<br>I immediately felt the effects. I felt drowsier.  
>I hobbled to the bed and lay down. I wore my wedding ring. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. I felt myself drift away.<br>I felt the pain slowly fade. I felt his hand over mine. I smiled and drew my last breath.

Death, indeed, was a merciful release.

* * *

><p><strong>So that's it folks. Now, don't despair just yet, I have an epilogue all ready to go, but you'll have to be patient.<br>I hope you like the last real chapter!**

**Thanks for reading and just one last time; Please review!**

**Xx Annaelle**


	20. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

However sad he was from Godric's death, he felt the need to pretend like he was the strong one. Like he was the one who could handle anything.  
>Ariana couldn't. After feeding her his blood, waiting anxiously for her to wake, letting her grief and anger and blame wash over him, he had asked her to accompany back to Louisiana. She had refused.<br>He'd asked her again. And again and again until she finally agreed to go. He knew how much she was hurting – he felt it. By feeding her his blood he had created a bond – another thing she liked to swear about.  
>As they returned to Louisiana, he had taken on the burden of pretending he did not care what had happened in Dallas. Pam was worried, of course, but accepted Ariana as she was – a wreck.<br>She stayed for six whole weeks. Six weeks he complied her to stay. Something was odd though. Despite the blood, she didn't seem to feel any different about him than she had before. He had to admit that to some extent, it frustrated him; as if she suddenly cared for nothing. Sensing her emotions was something he had been curious for ever since they had met. Yet now, he wished he didn't. All she felt was agonizing, heartbreaking, earsplitting pain. Betrayal. And nothing at all. Moments of complete absence of emotions seemed to pop up more and more. He couldn't deny it was not distracting.  
>But the new blood bond brought another unexpected feature.<br>It enhanced what he had felt for her for a very long time, but what he had buried deep inside, so deep he had forgotten of its existence. Something he was afraid to feel – he had seen what it did to humans, what it did to Godric, what it had done to her now. No, the things he felt when she did smile at him, when touched his hand or when she cried in his arms were absolutely forbidden. She was Godric's; even his death would not change that.

That was the lie he told himself every night again. And every time she smiled, he forgot it again.

* * *

><p><strong>Another month later<strong>

Fury engulfed him. How could she?  
>He crushed the phone in his hand. Pam stood by the bar and warily assessed his changing expression. He breathed in heavily, trying to figure out why it hurt so much yet again.<br>Pam shook her head sadly. 'She did it. Didn't she?' His head snapped up. His eyes were swimming with bloody tears.  
>She jumped over the bar and approached him. 'She couldn't. I get it. Eric, don't you? She didn't . . . What happened with you was . . . Comfort. That's all it was, Eric. You knew that.'<br>He breathed in deeply, trying to prevent himself from hitting Pam. Pam opened her mouth again. 'Maybe it's –' He broke her off, pushing her away. 'Don't!' He snarled. 'Don't say it's better! She was all I had! Now she is gone too! SHE'S DEAD!' He roared, 'She's dead and she's not coming back!'  
>Then he broke down. Pretending not to care had been easier when it had been only Godric. But both of them. . . Ariana. . . Alex . . . Godric . . .<br>He fell to his knees and cried.

He seen her just a week ago. The night before she had left. She'd seemed better than she had been before. He sank into the memory, finding reliving it less painful than the reality.

* * *

><p><strong>ERIC'S POV - Week before<strong>

_I sat on my usual throne-like chair and watched the crowd of people in the club. A lot of vampires were in tonight. My eye fell on Ariana, who stood at the bar, talking to some guy. I felt a sudden emotion sweep through me. I couldn't place it. I hadn't felt it before. But I had heard of it. I knew what it was.  
>Jealousy. Though I had no right whatsoever to be jealous, I found myself being extremely jealous.<br>I fought the urge to flit over there and declare her mine. Kick the guy's ass. She'd kill me. I sighed instead and continued to watch her as she ordered another drink. She swung it down in one gulp and ordered a beer next.  
>She pounded that too, moving smoothly through the crowd of people. I got bored by sitting there. I got up and moved into the crowd, towards her. By the time I got there, she'd drained the bottle. Again. She was attempting to put it back on a table, but she couldn't get it right. She spotted me. She smiled.<br>_God, I love that smile. _It seemed hardly possible to think anything else. _

_'Eric,' she said, 'why is the table moving? It's . . . ' She made a wavy move with her hand. 'Swaying.' I smirked. 'I don't think the table is swaying. You are. I think, Ariana, that you have had just one too many.' I pried the empty bottled from her grip and set it on the table. She shook her head. 'No! I have not! Cannot possibly be. I've only had . . .' She fell silent, trying to count on her fingers. She frowned. 'Shit. I think I'd better stop.' I smiled. 'Yeah, seems safest. Before you do something stupid.' She grinned naughtily and pulled me into a tight hug. I suddenly felt very warm. I wasn't sure if that was such a good thing.  
>She leaned away. 'Like hugging a big bad Viking Vampire?' I half-smiled and put my arm around her shoulder. 'Let's get you out of here, shall we?' I could've asked any other vampire in the bar to do it. I just couldn't stand the idea of her being alone with another vampire.<br>I pulled her to the back of the club, into the employee room; thankfully, it was empty. I looked back at her and my breath caught in my throat. No matter how much I fancied Sookie, she could never compare to Ariana. She leaned to my arm; the one I had put around her.  
>She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen in my entire life. And coming from me, that means a lot. The way I could drown her deep blue eyes and her the way her dark hair framed her perfect face. Her full lips; pink and so kissable. What else was I to do, when she leaned to me that way? I did the only sane thing of that moment — I kissed her.<em>

_It was like a shot of adrenalin, causing me to stop breathing at all. It was only a peck to provoke her, see what she would do, but she quickly deepened it. As her tongue brushed against my bottom lip I growled and she took advantage to slip her wicked tongue into my mouth. I wrapped her legs around my torso, making sure our lips were in constant contact. Hardly aware of what I was doing, I sprinted over to my office and shut the door. My hands roamed every inch of her body freely. She moaned. I kissed her neck, down to her cleavage and back up to meet her soft lips again. She nuzzled my neck. I looked down at her and she gazed up at me with innocent eyes. My heart stopped. She smiled at me suggestively.  
>I tried to remember how to breath. 'Are you sure?' I whispered, fully aware I was about to lose all my self-control. <em>

_She shook her head. 'No. . . But I'm sure that I want you.' She kissed me, moving down from my lips to my neck and then my chest. Her hands wandered further down. That was it for my self-control._

* * *

><p>He didn't go to the funeral. He knew he couldn't handle it. Guilt was consuming him.<br>He should have denied her advances. He should have known better. But when she . . . He shook his head. There was no excuse for what he had done.  
>She had left the following morning, when he was asleep. He had called her several times to . . . To what? Apologize? He wasn't sorry about that night. He was not sorry about having sex with her. If he got to do it all over again, he knew he would probably do it again. He had loved her. He still did. But now, just like he had done with Alex and Godric, he had to let go. He had to shut down the part of him that ached. It was the only way to survive. It always had been. He rewound the tape he had been watching.<br>The broadcast in which Ariana gave her version of the events in Dallas. The only thing he had to remember her. He swallowed.

Sookie had texted him when she'd seen it on the news. It was big news, and now, people all over America showed sympathy to the girl who had lost everything she had because some other humans decided to meddle in her life and destroy it. Suddenly, the Fellowship of the Sun was a lot less popular than it had been before.  
>They had tried to limit the damage by announcing their regret and deepest condolences on the six o'clock news. Yet to no avail. People were enraged that something like this could happen in America. Eric paused the tape when Ariana smiled.<br>His heart ached. He swallowed again and raised the clicker. His finger hovered over the 'stop' button. He closed his eyes and stopped the video.  
>Then, agonizingly slow, he raised his hand to the 'delete' button.<p>

A tear ran down his cheek. And he pushed to the button, deleting the video, deleting his last image of Ariana, his love for her.

He shut down his heart. And nothing remained.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes people, this is it. The very end of 'Godric'!<br>Thank you for reading and reviewing every time! I love you guys!**

**Make sure to keep track of me, I'll be uploading loads of other stories!**

**So one last time: enjoy the chapter and please review!**

**Xx Annaelle**


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